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Kaisou Mod Account ([personal profile] kaisoumods) wrote in [community profile] kaisou2024-12-03 04:31 pm

December Event Log


December Event Log
Dominant Element: Light
Waning Element: Shadow

Full Moon: December 14th - December 16th


As Kaisou enters the month of December, snow begins to fall gently across the city, covering the city in a pristine blanket of snow. The temperature gets cold enough to make one need a coat and other winter garments, but it's not so cold that it's unpleasant to be out if you're comfortably dressed. Overall, the weather is ideal Christmas weather. Up in the sky, the Spirit Vein has shifted into the Light element, cascading the sky with a brilliant light show of numerous colors. While it's most frequently hues of white and gold, it'll occasionally turn to all sorts of color shades on the visible spectrum, giving you something new to see every single night.




The Christmas Market

♪- Dance Of The Mirlitons

With the holidays right around the corner, Kaisou's shops are going full steam ahead. Sales, sales, and more sales are showing up every day, and several little holiday pop ups slip into empty storefronts for the month. If you want it, someone will have it.

If you happen to want something a little unique, however, Kaisou's Winter Market is back this year, as vibrant as ever. Located in Midtown, it's open most of the day and well into the night for all of your shopping needs. Custom ornaments, delicious food, gorgeous light displays, even musical performances can be found in this little slice of holiday magic. There's even people selling things that aren't strictly Christmas, if you happen to celebrate something else (or are just tired of Christmas trees).

This year there's a new stand from Drosselmeyer Toys. They're the celebrities of the market, it seems, with their wonderfully odd little toys and gorgeous craftsmanship. They seem to almost move on their own, with no sign of batteries or clockwork powering them. Those with magic sense will be able to tell there's something magical about the toys, but they can't place what it is.

There's also something about the strange but overall friendly older gentleman running he stand. He won't answer any questions about the magic, though. He just smiles and wink, a finger to his lips. Weird.

If you're looking to do some shopping that takes place inside, the Seven Star mall is also all decked out for Christmas. The place is covered in Christmas decorations and holiday lights, with holiday items for sale in every store. In the main open area of the mall, they have a Santa display set up. Here, children (or adults) can meet an actor that's dressed up as Santa, as well as Mrs. Claus, some elves, and some reindeer. The whole thing is top tier kitschy. If you're interested in earning some extra money this season, maybe you can even get yourself to cover some of the shifts in this fake winter wonderland. Just try not to destroy the dreams of too many children.



Haul Out The Holly

♪- Carol of the Bells (Trans-Siberian Orchestra edition)

At one end of town, you have the Market. At the other? Christmas Warfare. Or rather, Christmas Lights Warfare. One of the local organizations, the Youth United Lights Embassy (or YULE), is hosting a big holiday light display contest. Anyone who wants to can decorate their house and enter the contest for a chance at winning the grand prize: a holiday feast that fits your needs and YULE paying your electric bill for the next two months.

The competition is brutal. The people who always go all out for holiday light displays seem to be going even further this year, with some discussion the possibility of sabotaging their "rivals". The people who don't go all out are going all out this year. And the people who think everyone here is off their nut is grabbing the roasted chestnuts to watch this chaos.

You're welcome to join in, either as a contestant or as someone watching it all. Near the middle of the month there'll be a grand "parade" through as many of the entrants as they can get--a perfect holiday outing!



Happiness and Cheer

♪- Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy

If you're done shopping or not here for the light show, there's plenty of other things to do in Kaisou, of course. There are several parties being held throughout the month, hosted both by those on the Libra app and those who aren't, if that's your style. If it isn't, there's a traveling team or two of carolers, eager for an audience. The local movie theater is doing a marathon of holiday and winter movies for cheap, and a Christmas tree "farm" has opened up on the edge of town if you're still looking for a tree. Be careful, though; since the edge of the city is now touching the Spirit Realm, this is no ordinary tree farm. This is a certified-by-Santa tree farm. This farm is run by Christmas elves. On the one hand, they're eager just to help you find the perfect tree and won't charge an arm and a leg.. On the other, they will talk your ear off about Christmas and all the things you can do during the holiday. And no, Santa is not there yet.

Meanwhile, the kitsune of Blue Fish Park are at it again. They're talking up this marvelous toy they're selling, one that zips and bops and whirls, and promises that it'll be the best gift you could possible give anyone. If you buy one, you'll discover that it really does do all the things the kitsune said it would...and never stops. Ever. You'll have to break it to make it stop. No refunds!



The Nutcracker

♪- Act I: March

On the morning of December 5th, Zodiac will send out a message to everyone on the Libra app.

ALERT: ASSISTANCE REQUESTED IN THE DOLL KINGDOM
Dominant Element: Light
Danger Level: Low
Designation: Dollhouse
Zodiac has detected a Spirit Gate in Midtown. A resident has reached out to us requesting assistance. Those who wish to help, please report to the Zodiac offices.

Those who go to the offices will be met by Professor Barbie, who is decked out in so much Christmas attire it's a little overwhelming. She explains that despite being from Barbie Land, she's never been to the Doll Kingdom and wishes she could go with you. But she can't, so she'll just have to let you go with the Nutcracker. And she means that literally, as behind her stands a human-sized wooden nutcracker, odd jaw and all. He explains that he is the one who requested your aid, and that he'll explain once they get back to the palace.

Those who decide to just go to the gate directly and see what the problem is will find a gate made of candy canes with a strange clock on the top of it...and a man on top of that. If you went to the Christmas market, you might recognize the man as the one running the Drosselmeyer Toys stall. He introduces himself as Drosselmeyer and someone who works closely with the Doll Kingdom before just waving everyone into the gate.

Inside the gate is a literal winter wonderland. Perfect glittery white snow (that may or may not have actual glitter in it) lies in elegant drifts against tall pine trees and the air is cold but not unbearably so. Little childish giggles and laughter can be heard everywhere in the forest. Before you, a perfectly maintained path winds its way out of the forest, and comfortable sleighs drawn by the most beautiful horses stand ready to take everyone to the Doll Palace.

On the way, the Nutcracker turns into a regular human man, still dressed as a Nutcracker. He explains that he's the prince of these lands (and that Drosselmeyer is his uncle) and that he needs help getting ready for Christmas. The Sugar Plum Fairy, the one who is usually responsible for this, has taken longer than expected to return from her errand. He isn't too concerned about her wellbeing, but they still need to finish getting ready. If they don't, the holidays will lack that magical touch everyone is so fond of.



Snowflakes And Gingersnaps

♪- Waltz of the Snowflakes

The most important thing, the Prince and several others will tell you, is to keep the Snowflake Fairies, young fairies responsible for making snowflakes and frost patterns, and Ginger Kids, the collective name for every child-age resident of the realm, distracted. They're all fairly young or otherwise troublesome and if they're not occupied no one is getting anything done. A pleasant older woman who goes by Mother Ginger needs all the help she can get, and she'll reward anyone who does help her with fresh cookies and hot chocolate.

And you'll want the hot chocolate, as it seems this year the kids are in their Snowball War era. The Ginger Kids and Snowflakes will take turns grabbing anyone who's been assigned babysitter and drag them over to their team's respective half of the back garden. You'll promptly be put to work building snow forts, making snowballs, or helping them put together snowball trebuchets. Every so often someone will yell "WAR" and then all hell breaks loose. Snowballs start flying, kids go down and are rushed off the field by their allies, and war cries are heard everywhere. The chaos only stops when someone (usually Mother Ginger) declares it's time for a snack. Then they all just traipse back inside to warm up, only to do it all again after that.

Some of the gentler souls amongst the younger crowd aren't involved in the Snowball War, so if you're less physically inclined (or just want to avoid getting pelted for a bit), you might be asked to stay with them and keep them busy. They're all decorating gingerbread houses and cookies and making a mess, but hey, it's not snowball fights! Just don't wear anything fancy, because it will get covered in icing.



Helping around the Doll Kingdom

♪- Waltz of the Flowers

With the kids occupied, that means everyone else can get to work. The most help is needed with the decorating, so grab a string of lights and get to it. The princess of the realm, a young woman named Clara, has stepped in as head of the decorating committee and will happily assign people to the areas they'll be most helpful. Sorry, tall people, you're on lights-and-mistletoe duty.

If you ask anyone how they want something hung or where does something go, you'll likely be met with "oh, wherever you think it looks best" or "anywhere you'd like!" It seems that decorating here is fully vibes-based, so as long as nothing clashes you can put that tree in the hall if you want, or by that window, or in front of the fireplace! Make sure to put the porcelain village buildings on a table or a shelf, but it doesn't matter which one! The palace is your canvas.

If you'd rather not decorate the palace, the kitchens always need help. There's a lot of people who need feeding, after all, and that means a lot of cookies and hot chocolate and other delightful treats need making. The kitchens, at least, do have some sense of structure to them; baking is a science, after all, and the head chef will remind you of that if you try to deviate too far from the recipes. Loudly. Possibly while waving a wooden spoon covered in chocolate at you. Mind the mess!

As you bake and brew and prepare all the goodies for the holiday, you might notice a plate of cookies going missing or perhaps footprints in the flour that weren't there a moment ago. If you bring it up to someone, they'll wave it off as the children of the palace having their fun.

It isn't. Of course it isn't. The longer you're there, the more obvious these signs become until, finally, a group of about four or five bipedal rats the size of children burst in. They claim they're envoys of the Rat Army and they're here to inform the palace that they have the Sugar Plum Fairy captive. If they want to see the fairy in one piece ever again, they are to meet their king out in the forest. They grab a plate of cookies and then scamper off before anyone can stop them.



Tin Soldiers

♪- Candy Cane

Once the Nutracker and Clara are informed of the situation, everyone is sent to meeting place followed along with a troop of soldiers. No one seems too worried about this, at least, and if asked they'll assure you that they're old hats at handling the Rats. This shouldn't be difficult at all.

The Rats and their king are waiting for you at the meeting place, thought King looks annoyed that the Nutcracker himself isn't with you. He grumbles about his old nemesis once again refusing him the satisfaction of beating him, before he tells you to pick the best and strongest amongst you to face off against his soldiers and finally himself. Five of the rats step forward, waiting while you debate who among you will go first.

Once someone steps forward, one of the rats also does.

And then the music starts.

Turns out that battles here are not fought with swords and guns but music and dance, and the soldiers who came with you are more the band than actual soldiers. You just need to out-dance the Rat Soldiers and their King to win. You best bring your best moves, as the rats are no push overs when it comes to their dancing skills. Despite being large rodents, they move with the grace of professional ballet dancers. Should you not succeed the first time, the rats will laugh you away and tell you to come back when you've practiced more. Their laughter will only get more mocking the more times you fail at this act, so you should probably take your dance practice seriously.

After finally defeating the Rats, the Sugar Plum Fairy is brought out from the cage they were keeping her (which looks very much like a typical rat cage, but large), completely okay if a bit grumpy at being held captive by the Rats "again", whatever that means. She explains that they caught her coming back from Santa's Workshop, that the big man in red should be here soon, and they should all head back to the Doll Kingdom so they can finish preparations.



Santa Claus

♪- Miracle on 34th Street

With the rats defeated and the Sugar Plum Fairy back from her trip to go help Santa Claus, the Doll Kingdom can finally finish their preparations! Everything is finished up in flash, making the kingdom look even more like a pristine Christmas paradise. To thank everyone for helping out, the Prince and Clara invite the Libra app users to their celebrations. There's food, games, and beautiful music that plays throughout the halls.

About an hour into the celebrations, the man of the hour shows up. Through the doors, steps the one and only St. Nicholas. There's no mistaking him as he fits the descriptions of him to a T: the bright red coat, a full white beard, eyes that twinkle with warmth and fun, and rosy cheeks from a life in the frozen North Pole. His presence looms larger than anyone else around, and when he laughs it bellows out from his belly, echoing through the room and filling it with his joy.

The first people Santa focuses on, of course, are the children. They clamor around him, so excited to see him. He smiles warmly as he greets and speaks with each child, knowing them by name and speaking to them with the kind of familiarity you'd expect from a loving grandparent. Each of the children are given a gift from is sack, one that's perfect and exactly what the child had asked for. As for any children from the Libra app, they too will be given the same warmth and given a present from Santa.

Only once Santa's had a chance to interact every child at the party does the old saint acknowledge the adults. He knows the names of every one in the room, and those that he interacted with in past years will be greeted like an old friend. While he doesn't give presents to the adults directly, like years before, he offers to create an enchanted gift for someone you care deeply about- as a thank you for all the good work you've done this year.

But of course, not everyone is satisfied with just a friendly chat with Santa Claus. Oh no, he remembers how the Libra App users have taken to try dueling with him. Should anyone approach him about this, he gives a playful wink and puts a finger to his mouth. Not at this party, he doesn't want to ruin this lovely party the Doll Kingdom has created. Rather he'll meet you all tomorrow, at the Fortress of Meropide.

[Mod Note: If your character is under 18, they will get a free item of their choice that's worth 2 points or less (aka a bonus birthday skeleton present). Present can be redeemed in the regain page. Meanwhile every character can pick a enchanted santa gift for their CR. Head over here for more information.]



The Christmas Battle

♪- Herald of the Bells
Art Credit

The next day, the Fortress of Meropide is abuzz with activity. Thanks to some of the residents of the fortress, the entire place has been completely decked out in Christmas decorations, from over a dozen Christmas trees in the habitat ring, to the Christmas music playing over the intercoms, to the inflatable Christmas-themed dinosaurs that are scattered around the place. What do dinosaurs have to do with Christmas? Who can say really!

Anyone that's here for the fight with Santa Claus, either to spectate or to participate, will be directed to the Pankration Ring. The Pankration Ring has also been similarly decorated for the holidays, but there is also a deep ring of snow that now encircles the fighting ring in order to soften any landings that might occur. Those who want to watch the fight will be ushered to the side benches where they get a good view. Meanwhile Santa Claus himself will sit in the high balcony usually meant for referees, sitting on a throne he conjured himself.

When enough people have arrived, Santa will greet everyone warmly, clearly amused by this tradition that has sprung up in Kaisou. However, he informs everyone that before they can fight with him, there is a lover of Christmas that has insisted that the challengers face him first. With that, out comes Wriothesley, defender of Santa. Along with him is his companion Veldora, whose mostly there to help his friend. You'll have to battle the two of them first in a match before you're allowed to fight Santa. They are tough opponents, but thankfully since this room is too small for Veldora to grow to his full size, they aren't unbeatable.

Which is more than can be said about the opponent that follows them, should you beat the duo. If you beat Wriothesley and Veldora, you'll have a chance to heal and recover your strength, before Saint Nicholas enters the ring himself. Here in the fighting ring, his presence grows ever stronger as there's no need to mask it. Anyone with energy sensing abilities will quickly realize just about how out of their league basically everyone is.

There is no winning against Santa Claus. Rather, it's more a question of how long you manage to last before you get knocked out of the ring and into the pile of snow that he provided. No matter how many people he faces off against, he doesn't seem to tire out. Rather, he seems to be having the time of his life - it's not too often he gets to enjoy a good bout of fisticuffs with his current duties. As you land into the snow drifts, you'll find yourself with a present from Santa himself- a little thank you for the match.

Once everyone's had their fill of fighting, Santa will declare this tournament a great success. He'll thank everyone for coming, and tell them to head to the cafeteria for some refreshments. With that, he'll bid everyone a Merry Christmas before disappearing in a flash of light- as he is awfully busy this time of year.

Should you head up to the cafeteria like he suggested, you'll find the tables are covered in Christmas treats. There's all types of Christmas foods and desserts for people to try, and there's just about every Christmas-type drink you can find at the drinks table. Not only that, but there are various nostalgic dishes of food for everyone who attended the fight. It could be your favorite Christmas meal, or just a dish that comes from a treasured memory- all of them are prepared well and guaranteed to leave you with a warm belly.

Truly, the Spirit of Christmas is like no other.

[Mod Note: If your character chooses to Santa, they will get a gift from Santa decided by Santa. Head over here to let the mods know]



Aftermath

♪- Pas de Deux

After your dealings with the Doll Kingdom and your encounters with Santa, the rest of the Christmas season goes peacefully. After such a chaotic year with many changes and challenges, you've more than earned a good holiday. Spend time with your loved ones, enjoy the holiday activities, and do your best to stay warm. Those looking for dangers are more than welcomed to visit Dragonspine Mountain and fight foes there- but why seek out battles?

There'll be more of those to come in the coming new year.





OOC Notes

The dominant element this month is Light! Anyone with an affinity to the shadow element will find themselves boosted throughout the month. This could mean a boost to their power, having more energy, feeling more inspired with creativity, having better luck on different attempts -- the boost can manifest in all sorts of different ways. By contrast, anyone with an affinity for Light will be experiencing the opposite. Perhaps their powers will be weaker, they have less energy, they're having a creative block or general worse luck - again it can manifest in all sorts of way and players are free to play with this mechanic as they'd like.

The original OOC plotting post for this event can be found here. There will be a midmonth Zodiac post on the 15th.

youwouldntdownloada: (a certain [hand gestures] jenesay-uh)

[personal profile] youwouldntdownloada 2025-01-07 01:08 pm (UTC)(link)
"I think anyone would get embarrassed, even gods at that point..."

Ah, but it really doesn't take much to realize that things are going quiet. At least on her end it's the fatigue but. Hm.

"...Nothing bad happened...right?"

If you were avoiding it, she knows.
prunedworlds: (what's going on?)

[personal profile] prunedworlds 2025-01-07 02:05 pm (UTC)(link)
"Huh?" Ritsuka really had been lost in thought. "Uh, it's not that..."

Well, there had been some pretty unpleasant stuff that happened, but that wasn't what she was thinking about now, and she'd already told the worst of it to Waver and Diarmuid. Who were probably in a better position to address it anyway.

"It's just... You know when those of us from other worlds go back, it really is like we never left. Not just that no time passed, but nothing that happened here affects things there. So I was thinking... Is it really that we go back at all? Or is this just another version of us, here, and sometimes we get... I don't know, feedback or something, from the original world?"

She said it like it was perfectly logical and not remotely alarming. At least not to her. If anything, Ritsuka perhaps found the idea almost comforting, in a way.
youwouldntdownloada: ([blank stare emoji...])

[personal profile] youwouldntdownloada 2025-01-10 03:35 pm (UTC)(link)
"....That's what I heard at least?" But obviously there's more to things than just the no time bit, so Yasuho does let Ritsuka finish that thought.

Fortunately, for all that she's winter fatigued, being from this place makes it very easy to come up with an answer without having a crisis.

"...........You don't think it's just some sort of amnesia? People like you pretty clearly come from tears in the spirit realm after all..."

That seems much simpler.
prunedworlds: (feeling calm)

[personal profile] prunedworlds 2025-01-10 04:11 pm (UTC)(link)
"I don't think that really explains it, though? It's obvious there's multiple worlds--universes--to begin with. And when it comes to parallel worlds, the history is the same up to the point that they split, too. So it wouldn't be weird if when we're brought here, that's just a slightly different kind of split."

A pause, before she realized there might have been a gap in that explanation that she'd taken for granted.

"I mean, not like we're fake or anything, just that it's different versions from different worlds. Waver's from another version of my world, and there's probably a version of him in mine, and the version of him I met before is from another world." And if he knew about this conversation he'd doubtless be cursing out the Second Magic to hell and back at this point. "But all of them are real, you know? Plus, if we can get feedback from our original worlds, then maybe there'd be a way to reverse that and send things we know here back, if we want to.

"But either way... Right now, what we do here doesn't affect our worlds. So there's no need to worry about something going wrong because were not there, right?"
youwouldntdownloada: (a certain [hand gestures] jenesay-uh)

[personal profile] youwouldntdownloada 2025-01-14 03:14 pm (UTC)(link)
"....That doesn't really discredit amnesia either though...."

Mostly she's more confused about...well.

"...You seem more certain of the theory than anything. ...Can you really call that a theory any..."

Ah. No, she's clicked into why Ritsuka likes this theory now. Yasuho frowns, trying to make sure she has it right before speaking.

She probably doesn't. "...Getting hurt here probably leaves more of an effect than you think- likewise...learning and recovering probably has more of an effect as well. Whether it's amnesia, or a case of going back and forth..."

Well, back to the main thing she's on. "...Whatever it is that's happening, I just don't think the you here is 'another version' of who you are away from here. You, and others like that...you came here- I don't think that's a 'copied over' situation, as much as a transport."
prunedworlds: (what's going on?)

[personal profile] prunedworlds 2025-01-14 03:58 pm (UTC)(link)
Ritsuka blinked, apparently just now realizing something.

"Oh, it can't be just as simple as forgetting things or amnesia, because things change. Or don't, when they should. People who are here, they don't just remember things. Diarmuid's spirit origin changed from a Lancer to a Saber class. Someone else got older. Stuff like that.

"And when I was back in Chaldea, I definitely didn't have any of the magic or curses or anything I do here. Maybe I wouldn't notice if I just forgot about it, but some of the Servants definitely would. So if they didn't... that means there wasn't anything to notice."

Seeing as how often they'd noticed and pointed out irregularities that had happened to her before, Ritsuka was pretty confident about this. And that wasn't even counting the monitoring and medical scanning equipment. But it perhaps said something about her experiences that she hadn't even thought at first that this would need clarification.

"And I've been in two places before, too. Usually it's been linked, sure, like when my mind was pulled into a singularity and my body was still at Chaldea, but not always. Any time a new world branches off, that happens to everyone in it, too. They're still themselves, but what happens to them in that world doesn't affect the versions in other worlds. Chaldea doesn't exist in Waver and Diarmuid's world, but there's probably a version of me there, too. And everything that's happened to me since I came to Chaldea doesn't affect that me at all, no matter what it is."

Which was honestly a kind of bittersweet thought in its own way, knowing that in another world another her was still just living a normal life. But given how intensely familiar Ritsuka had by necessity become with the concept, it was an inevitable conclusion to come to.

"So... This seems similar to that. We maybe never leave our original worlds, exactly, even though at the same time we do. Both of those are true at the same time, and both the me here and the me there are really, uh, me. But if I'm still there, if it's also that I never left... then I don't need to worry so much about what's happening when I'm gone, because I'm not. So maybe it's okay to think more about what's happening here, instead."
youwouldntdownloada: (i did not wish 2 see...)

[personal profile] youwouldntdownloada 2025-01-14 04:28 pm (UTC)(link)
There's so much happening in those words, and Yasuho's brain is soup.

Doesn't Diarmuid changing spirit origins just prove everything got copied over again??? She feels like something here is not lining up, but hell if she's smart enough to figure out why.

It probably doesn't matter though, because at least Ritsuka's landed on...some kind of good idea?

"............................okay..."

She's lost, fellas. "...I'm glad to hear you're focusing on what's happening now..?"
prunedworlds: (feeling calm)

[personal profile] prunedworlds 2025-01-14 04:38 pm (UTC)(link)
Copied over was, in essence, what Ritsuka was getting at, in a way. She just had a rather, ah, unique way of viewing the issue, given her everything. Maybe when Yasuho was feeling better she could ask for an explanation again. Or not, the stuff Ritsuka was oh so casually going on about was the sort of thing that gave even a mage as brilliant as Waver migraines.

"Well I mean, if I'm right that I don't have to worry about things back with everyone from Chaldea..."

A beat.

"Though also... I think that, if I never came here, but still found out somehow that another me did... I'd be kinda mad at myself if I didn't make the best of it, you know?"
youwouldntdownloada: ([blank stare emoji...])

[personal profile] youwouldntdownloada 2025-01-21 11:30 am (UTC)(link)
Well...........................it's one way to get to a better spot, she supposes?

"Does that mean too much changes now then?" she can't help but ask, inclining her head. "...I know we're looking into a possible therapist..."
prunedworlds: (feeling calm)

[personal profile] prunedworlds 2025-01-21 02:08 pm (UTC)(link)
The fact of the matter was, the isekais like her really never 'missed' anything in their original worlds, no matter how long they spent in Kaisou. Ritsuka just found a way to explain it that not only fit her understanding of such things, but also meant she didn't have to worry so much. That was all.

"I guess that depends on what you mean by changes?" Ritsuka wasn't entirely sure what she was getting at. "It's just... I kinda always thought of it like being on a mission, or something. That I needed to be ready to go back, I guess."

For as much as she seemed to live in the moment, she still had had a lot of worry hanging over her.

"But now I think maybe I don't need to? So I can think of this place like--like another new home."

It could never replace or overwrite her grief and loss of her original home, but it was still something, at least.
youwouldntdownloada: (well hi there :])

[personal profile] youwouldntdownloada 2025-01-22 03:15 am (UTC)(link)
As long as the brain breakage is minimal, Yasuho will take it.

"Anything that feels different counts as a change," Yasuho clarifies with a somewhat drowsy glance. "...But that's good to hear. That should make it easier to focus on what you personally need."
prunedworlds: (what's going on?)

[personal profile] prunedworlds 2025-01-22 04:41 am (UTC)(link)
Sometimes, it was hard to gauge what would be brain breaky for other people, when one was used to contending with some pretty impossibly difficult concepts on the regular.

"Oh." Hang on give her a minute to think about that. "I guess it's a change, but... also the opposite? Like... A change that means other changes don't really matter as much."

It was hard to articulate, given how many times she'd had to adjust to a new 'normal' over the past several years. Being able to maybe, finally, fall back on an older, more stable sense of familiar was a relief even if it was technically a change.

"Yeah... Though I'm still not sure what I want to do."
youwouldntdownloada: (a certain [hand gestures] jenesay-uh)

[personal profile] youwouldntdownloada 2025-01-23 02:26 pm (UTC)(link)
Well, there's only going to be so much she can do to help with that, ultimately. And right now they're really just doing more of the same old same old. But...

"...Did you ever think about it while at Chaldea? ...What you'd do if you were at 'home', or somewhere like that?"
prunedworlds: (feeling calm)

[personal profile] prunedworlds 2025-01-23 02:48 pm (UTC)(link)
"Well, yeah, but..."

Boy, was there a lot to this.

"The more times gone by, some things aren't really possible anymore, and also... Lately just getting home at all seems like a bigger deal."

It had gotte harder and harder to imagine the further the goal seemed to be.
youwouldntdownloada: ([blank stare emoji...])

[personal profile] youwouldntdownloada 2025-01-28 12:46 pm (UTC)(link)
"Naturally. ...But now..."

Yasuho tries to find a way to say this- to say something that, really, any actual therapist is likely trying to get through Ritsuka's head as it is. "...You're here, now. Even if it isn't something that has a long term goal...you should be able to work on something that makes you happy."
prunedworlds: (feeling calm)

[personal profile] prunedworlds 2025-01-28 02:11 pm (UTC)(link)
"Yeah."

Many people had tried to get it through her head. In the end, it had been her own realization that she didn't have to worry about those back in Chaldea while she was here, though, that actually made all the difference. After all, embracing life here did mean leaving those friends and family in another world behind, in a way.

But now Ritsuka had concluded that perhaps she could have both, after all. It wouldn't make her miss anyone any less, of course, but that part didn't have to hold her back. No more than under more ordinary circumstances of being separated from loved ones, without an entire world at stake.

"Though, I'm not really sure what I want to do, either..."
youwouldntdownloada: (a certain [hand gestures] jenesay-uh)

[personal profile] youwouldntdownloada 2025-02-04 03:28 pm (UTC)(link)
"Not a clue back then either huh...."

She can't say she's entirely surprised but...

"Did you at least have...hmm. They normally have job counselling at some point in high school right? Even if it was only in your final year, that's probably something!"

about that
prunedworlds: (what's going on?)

[personal profile] prunedworlds 2025-02-04 03:41 pm (UTC)(link)
"... Uh."

Well, there waas no good way to say this, was there?

"I came to Chaldea on my summer break during my second year of high school..."

Which, given the Japanese school calendar, meant she hadn't even made it halfway through that year. And never had the chance to go back.

She was maybe a little bit embarrassed to admit it.
youwouldntdownloada: ([blank stare emoji...])

[personal profile] youwouldntdownloada 2025-02-07 02:02 pm (UTC)(link)
Yasuho pauses-

Turns-

"...................Really?" She doesn't sound judgey. Or even shocked, actually, though part of that might be that she's just so mentally disconnected from most extremes right now that it's sort of filtering in at a quiet hum.

A sort of 'oh, well that's odd' type of mood being the result.

She'll panic later.

"...Have you...thought about finishing?"

No questions on why. She sort of assumes the apocalypse. Just...Want to finish?
prunedworlds: (feeling calm)

[personal profile] prunedworlds 2025-02-07 02:22 pm (UTC)(link)
"Of course."

While not dying had always been her top priority, going home and picking back up where she left off had always been up there, too.

"But... it's been years now, since then. I can't just go back now..."

A twenty year old had no business in a modern high school, even without the stigma attached.
youwouldntdownloada: (i did not wish 2 see...)

[personal profile] youwouldntdownloada 2025-02-07 02:28 pm (UTC)(link)
"Well. Probably not officially, no, but-"

Hold on, she has to think about how to actually frame this while her brain is soup.

"............You know, a lot of people have the same issue? It's more common than I think you...uh, think... ...but, most people don't use four years to get through it in that case, it's more like a crash course..?"

She's doing Terrible, She's Sorry.

"...............ugh I could have sworn Cygnus had some kind of equivalent for isekais too, even if it was for different reasons..."

She might be remembering wrong though.
prunedworlds: (what's going on?)

[personal profile] prunedworlds 2025-02-07 02:50 pm (UTC)(link)
She was doing fine. Keeping it simple instead of throwing out terms like 'GED' was probably for the best anyway. Much less overwhelming.

"You think so?"

For all that one of her dads actually ran Cygnus, Ritsuka, well, had never really bothered finding out much about it. Just sort of mentally classified it as something beyond her.

"I mean... I kinda figured most stuff there was like college classes or something."

Or otherwise advanced or specialist stuff. You know, like for smart people.
youwouldntdownloada: (new phone who dis)

[personal profile] youwouldntdownloada 2025-02-08 01:40 pm (UTC)(link)
"I know there's definitely more college classes than anything, but...if you think about it, people who come from other worlds don't necessarily have a modern education, right?"

Less than even Ritsuka does.

"...So they have to get around that somehow, don't they?"
prunedworlds: (feeling calm)

[personal profile] prunedworlds 2025-02-08 06:45 pm (UTC)(link)
"I don't know, do they need to, though? There's people here on the app who'll hire them just as long as they can do the work, and as long as you have a job that's probably fine for just living here..."

Not to mention Undertown probably also had opportunities for the various supernatural denizens. Ritsuka herself probably didn't even need to finish her schooling when it came down to it, for her it was more part of the concept of a 'normal life' that at least part of her still wanted to have.

"I think most the people on the app who actually go to school like that are the ones who're still kids, so..."
youwouldntdownloada: (a certain [hand gestures] jenesay-uh)

[personal profile] youwouldntdownloada 2025-02-12 03:36 pm (UTC)(link)
[Yasuho opens her mouth, all set to have a whole bunch of stuff to say-

But then, pauses, realizing that really isn't actually the point here.
]

...Would it matter, if they just wanted to? [she instead asks, looking rather pointedly at Ritsuka while she does so.]

A lot of people here who go back for high school don't 'need' it. They're living fine in whatever career they found without.

But they still want to.

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