Who told you so, dilly dilly, Who told you so? ‘Twas my own heart, dilly dilly, That told me so.
ouch is one of the most intimate, romantic ways to be close to someone else. The Town knows this very well -- the Town wants everyone to be as close as possible.
Perhaps that's why this bonding is so...aggressive.
Because you're in for quite the shock on this otherwise peaceful day when you brush against the next person on your path.
Maybe you're going out of your way to touch people. Maybe you've got a terrible urge to just see what's lurking in someone's heart. Maybe you trip over a conveniently placed rock -- whatever the cause, you're getting an up close and personal look into someone else's heart.
Welcome to Awash's eighteenth event log, everyone! Further information on this event can be found here at the OOC post. You are welcome to make your own logs and posts for this event!
If there are any questions, please ask them here. Thank you!
[There is a 90% chance she touched you first. She's always been the habit of doing it so if she doesn't pay attention she'd end up reaching to touch your sleeve or hand or shoulder...
And then...]
i: Her childhood wasn't exactly happy.
[You're in a hospital. Just a regular hospital at first glance except for a few things. The face of everyone bustling around is hard to see, as if they've been blurred out. There are a couple of men in very...official looking suits. But otherwise everyone is pretty normal! Aside from the blurred faces anyway.
Sixteen year old Kaoru isn't anywhere to be seen, but in the hall, there's a little five year old girl with short, red hair crying and compared to the faceless crowd her every feature and sound is crystal clear. Also, everyone walking near her gives her a wide berth so there's a one meter radius around her where there's no one.
She's not crying very loudly though, like she's trying not to be heard.
What will you do?]
ii: Welcome to her disreputable childhood
[Now you're standing outside a busy amusement park. Over the walls, you can see the top of a tall roller coaster, a ferris wheel and balloons. There's the sound of people screaming and laughing beyond the walls and it all looks super fun!
Except...at the gate, there are machines like what you'd expect from an airplane security check...and security officers at each one. Do amusement parks normally have such high security...? And what are they searching for anyway? Weapons?
Nah.
Look to the side and you'll see a big sign that clearly reads: NO ESPERS ALLOWED.
...I don't remember that sign being so big. [That's Kaoru speaking, the same one who was with you before you ended up here.
But, then, from the corner of your eye, you might spy another Kaoru, this one only ten years old with short hair who's scowling at the amusement park gates with her arms crossed.]
[ Oh. That's not disorienting at all. He'd turned around to the feeling of a tap to the shoulder, only to find himself in ... a hospita? Jion blinks, looks around, the scuffs a hand through his hair. Well, at least he's familiar with this sort of environment.
So when he hears the sound of someone crying, he promptly jogs over, eager to help. Even before he realizes it's Kaoru, he kneels before her to try and soothe her, doing his best to keep his voice calm and gentle. ]
Hey, are you okay? [ It takes him a few seconds longer to connect this crying child to the culprit who transported him here in the first place. But regardless of that realization, Jion mostly focuses on trying to calm this small, distressed version of Kaoru. ] Um, are you hurt anywhere? Or are you lost?
[ He gives a curious cant of the head at that. Oh man, it looks like she's been crying a while; he wishes he carried around a handkerchief, but alas. Regardless, he fishes through the numerous pouches at his belt with his free hand, even as he keeps his gaze fixed on Kaoru. ]
Sorry, I'm kind of new here -- is there something I should be scared of?
Well ... no, I don't think you're scary. Not at all. [ A pause before he continues, trying to keep his tone of voice relatively gentle and light. ] Why, do you think I should be scared of you?
Some places are a bit more lenient...but not for someone like me. [She meant, at Level 7...but like. Take it how you will.]>/SMALL> If I wanted to go, it'd require months of paperwork and planning.
[She's smiling as she says it because that's just how it is! But she's also staring at the younger version of herself and remembering how much she'd hated it. Ten year old Kaoru who was still scowling at the amusement park before she suddenly turned to the two of them.]
Hey, you!
[And Kaoru expected them to be yelled at, or cussed out (or even to be groped) because that was the sort of brat she had been at ten. She didn't expect for her ten year old self to say,] Help me break into there.
[And she was...pointing at the amusement park!? But why!?]
[Paperwork? Planning? Were they really that afraid?
But before he can ask more, they're suddenly getting yelled at by a ten-year-old. Akira looks over at the little girl, then follows her point to the amusement park, thinking about it.
[Ah, well, Kaoru does know the situation better than he does, but surely it'll be okay here in whatever illusion the town has made, right?
He looks back at the older Kaoru, ignoring the little one's tugs for the moment.]
There's one of her and two of us. We can handle it, right?
[Although, he knows how strong Kaoru's powers are first hand now... but they're just as strong or stronger than herself as a 10-year-old so how bad could it be?]
But well...] Fine. We'll go. [She points at her younger self.] No causing trouble!
[The younger Kaoru sticks her tongue out at her.] Whatever. Why should I listen to some stupid looking person who looks like all she has going for her is big boobs!
[It's not hard to see who she prefers right now since she hasn't let go of Akira at all.] Glasses-Onichan! I want to ride the roller coaster!
( He pronounces the word carefully, tilting his head curiously to one side. It's the thing he chooses to focus on for now because... well, he's never been to an amusement park before! So he can't really tell what is and isn't normal. It looks normal inside beyond the machines but is this normally what it's like on the outside? He doesn't know. But what's with this sign? And why does this little girl look so offended?
He looks at the small Kaoru and then the big one. )
[...right. She's never mentioned that word to him.
She smiles. It's not exactly a happy smile. Just an expression that's trying to reassure.]
Espers are what we call people with psychic powers like mine. For high level espers, there are a lot of laws and restrictions. One of those is that places like these tend to not allow us to go in.
[And it's even harder for an esper of her level. The younger Kaoru turns her scowl to them.]
Why are you beating around the bush like this? Just tell him it's because these morons think we're a monster.
Well, he should be used to this by now but he always forgets that sometimes the memories really interact with them. He crouches down to be closer to the younger Kaoru's height, )
Ya don't look very monster-like to me. And trust me, I've fought a whole bunch of 'em.
She...watches him carefully when he approaches her younger self though. Bot because she doesn't trust him but because she knows how she was when she was that age. She'd feel bad if he got thrown into a wall for being nice!
The younger Kaoru looks surprised when he crouches down and there's a half aborted motion to take a step back before she holds her ground and shrugs looking at him with the flattest look she could manage.]
I could crush your skull like it's made of tofu.
[Meanwhile, sixteen year old Kaoru groans and presses a hand to her face. REALLY WHY WAS SHE LIKE THIS.]
(Kaoru can groan all she wants but Mutsu will just laugh! She's cute. He has to admire a kid with spirit, even if it's a little misdirected. So he doesn't seem too bothered by the threat and looks up at Kaoru. Don't be embarrassed! But he'll keep talking without missing much of a beat. It's hard to tell if he's speaking to one Kaoru in particular or to both at the same time,
Some things really never change. Even if it's different, you still got people on top trying to keep everyone around 'em down 'cause they're scared of something.
Ya know, back in my day, a man couldn't even carry an umbrella just 'cause he was born the way he was. Didn't matter what his character was or how good he'd be.
(He sighs and looks at the sign. "NO ESPERS"
He's probably missing some context still. He knows he is. But--
ritsu swallows down the question, his world's rules aren't their rules. but the thought of being an esper and not being levels above this discrimination bs is something so foreign to him. the contrast between them and the joyous crowds is baffling to the mind.
he doesn't bring himself to look at kaoru. it's probably his fear of emotionally connecting, but if there's anyone who had the right to be angry about this, he supposed he was a bit better a fit than most. ]
[She looks at this place and thinks....this is a terrible first impression of where she came from, wasn't it?]
But not everyone is driven by that fear and...we're doing things to make things better.
[She smiles at him and even if he doesn't look, he could probably hear it in her voice, warm and reassuring. She believes it, that what they're doing can change things!
[ woah, language. ritsu blinks at small kaoru, then turns to face her older self. that sure is a difference. he wonders what could have gone through her life to warrant such a change. ]
So... not everyone, but most of the people who make the big decisions?
[ ritsu hears the crowd cheer louder, and he tightens his lip. he doesn't really get this type of thing for enjoyment, but... if it's with people he cares about, then maybe he kind of gets it. ]
[A Lot. There had been A Lot going on in her life.]
I have no idea if it's most...but definitely enough that it can be a problem.
[After all, that's why Babel exists.]
...you know. It's weird, but I don't think this is my memory. [She put her hands on her hips and titled her head as she thought.] At least...it wasn't exactly like this? I remember being upset when my sister went and I had to stay home. And I did stand outside one of these places but it wasn't...like this.
[It had been at night...and she broke in with the leader of an esper criminal organization. Though it was true that both memories really stuck with her.]
[ she's right about that, ritsu's eyebrows raise by that statement. and... a sister, huh. ]
So your sister's normal? ... Ahem, you know what I mean.
[ perhaps her heart had distorted some things? it doesn't sound like that big of a stretch. her little self's expression is more clear, but he can't get a good read on the kaoru he entered here with. ]
Do you know. That's exactly how it's called where I come from. [Which is why she isn't even offended or bothered at all. In fact, she smiles like she found it a little funny.] She's what we'd call a Normal.
[And yes, she knows how that sounds but that's how things are.
What does it make her feel? That's a complicated one. As she considers it, her younger self said.]
Of course it makes me mad! Only some weird masochist would be okay with this!
[God, she was so annoying at ten!] I don't like it, but it's how things are. Throwing a tantrum about it would only make things worse for everyone. Besides, I said, right? It won't always be like this.
[...she's trying to be Mature, okay? She's not going to talk about how she kind of does want to go to one of these in daylight to experience it while it's crowded and lively.]
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ouch is one of the most intimate, romantic ways to be close to someone else. The Town knows this very well -- the Town wants everyone to be as close as possible.
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And then...]
i: Her childhood wasn't exactly happy.
[You're in a hospital. Just a regular hospital at first glance except for a few things. The face of everyone bustling around is hard to see, as if they've been blurred out. There are a couple of men in very...official looking suits. But otherwise everyone is pretty normal! Aside from the blurred faces anyway.
Sixteen year old Kaoru isn't anywhere to be seen, but in the hall, there's a little five year old girl with short, red hair crying and compared to the faceless crowd her every feature and sound is crystal clear. Also, everyone walking near her gives her a wide berth so there's a one meter radius around her where there's no one.
She's not crying very loudly though, like she's trying not to be heard.
What will you do?]
ii: Welcome to her disreputable childhood
[Now you're standing outside a busy amusement park. Over the walls, you can see the top of a tall roller coaster, a ferris wheel and balloons. There's the sound of people screaming and laughing beyond the walls and it all looks super fun!
Except...at the gate, there are machines like what you'd expect from an airplane security check...and security officers at each one. Do amusement parks normally have such high security...? And what are they searching for anyway? Weapons?
Nah.
Look to the side and you'll see a big sign that clearly reads: NO ESPERS ALLOWED.
...I don't remember that sign being so big. [That's Kaoru speaking, the same one who was with you before you ended up here.
But, then, from the corner of your eye, you might spy another Kaoru, this one only ten years old with short hair who's scowling at the amusement park gates with her arms crossed.]
i.
So when he hears the sound of someone crying, he promptly jogs over, eager to help. Even before he realizes it's Kaoru, he kneels before her to try and soothe her, doing his best to keep his voice calm and gentle. ]
Hey, are you okay? [ It takes him a few seconds longer to connect this crying child to the culprit who transported him here in the first place. But regardless of that realization, Jion mostly focuses on trying to calm this small, distressed version of Kaoru. ] Um, are you hurt anywhere? Or are you lost?
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Wh-why are you talking to me? Aren't you scared?
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[ He gives a curious cant of the head at that. Oh man, it looks like she's been crying a while; he wishes he carried around a handkerchief, but alas. Regardless, he fishes through the numerous pouches at his belt with his free hand, even as he keeps his gaze fixed on Kaoru. ]
Sorry, I'm kind of new here -- is there something I should be scared of?
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...me.
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Well ... no, I don't think you're scary. Not at all. [ A pause before he continues, trying to keep his tone of voice relatively gentle and light. ] Why, do you think I should be scared of you?
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[Her eyes tear up again and they roll over her cheeks and fall to the ground.] I screwed up. I got angry and...I hurt mom. She won't even see me.
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ii
Kaoru has mentioned the tensions between normal humans and espers before, but it's still jarring, seeing it so blatantly.]
They seriously wouldn't even let you inside?
[That's pretty messed up.]
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[She's smiling as she says it because that's just how it is! But she's also staring at the younger version of herself and remembering how much she'd hated it. Ten year old Kaoru who was still scowling at the amusement park before she suddenly turned to the two of them.]
Hey, you!
[And Kaoru expected them to be yelled at, or cussed out (or even to be groped) because that was the sort of brat she had been at ten. She didn't expect for her ten year old self to say,] Help me break into there.
[And she was...pointing at the amusement park!? But why!?]
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But before he can ask more, they're suddenly getting yelled at by a ten-year-old. Akira looks over at the little girl, then follows her point to the amusement park, thinking about it.
Then he shrugs.]
Sure.
[And he'll be heading over there to help now.]
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But she's sixteen now! She can't just go around breaking laws like it's nothing (for no reason) anymore!
She feels like the right thing to do would be to gently tell her younger self off but then Akira went and agreed!? What!?
While her ten year old self whooped in joy, she followed him and grabbed his arm.]
Hey, are you sure this is a good idea?
[Sure, probably none of this is real, but still!
And then ten year old Kaoru was on his other side, also pulling on his arm.]
Of course it is! Come on, Glasses-Onichan! Ignore her and let's go!
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He looks back at the older Kaoru, ignoring the little one's tugs for the moment.]
There's one of her and two of us. We can handle it, right?
[Although, he knows how strong Kaoru's powers are first hand now... but they're just as strong or stronger than herself as a 10-year-old so how bad could it be?]
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[Look, she's saying this for you own good, Akira!
But well...] Fine. We'll go. [She points at her younger self.] No causing trouble!
[The younger Kaoru sticks her tongue out at her.] Whatever. Why should I listen to some stupid looking person who looks like all she has going for her is big boobs!
[It's not hard to see who she prefers right now since she hasn't let go of Akira at all.] Glasses-Onichan! I want to ride the roller coaster!
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ii
( He pronounces the word carefully, tilting his head curiously to one side. It's the thing he chooses to focus on for now because... well, he's never been to an amusement park before! So he can't really tell what is and isn't normal. It looks normal inside beyond the machines but is this normally what it's like on the outside? He doesn't know. But what's with this sign? And why does this little girl look so offended?
He looks at the small Kaoru and then the big one. )
What's it mean?
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She smiles. It's not exactly a happy smile. Just an expression that's trying to reassure.]
Espers are what we call people with psychic powers like mine. For high level espers, there are a lot of laws and restrictions. One of those is that places like these tend to not allow us to go in.
[And it's even harder for an esper of her level. The younger Kaoru turns her scowl to them.]
Why are you beating around the bush like this? Just tell him it's because these morons think we're a monster.
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( Oh.
Well, he should be used to this by now but he always forgets that sometimes the memories really interact with them. He crouches down to be closer to the younger Kaoru's height, )
Ya don't look very monster-like to me. And trust me, I've fought a whole bunch of 'em.
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[There's a difference!
She...watches him carefully when he approaches her younger self though. Bot because she doesn't trust him but because she knows how she was when she was that age. She'd feel bad if he got thrown into a wall for being nice!
The younger Kaoru looks surprised when he crouches down and there's a half aborted motion to take a step back before she holds her ground and shrugs looking at him with the flattest look she could manage.]
I could crush your skull like it's made of tofu.
[Meanwhile, sixteen year old Kaoru groans and presses a hand to her face. REALLY WHY WAS SHE LIKE THIS.]
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Some things really never change. Even if it's different, you still got people on top trying to keep everyone around 'em down 'cause they're scared of something.
Ya know, back in my day, a man couldn't even carry an umbrella just 'cause he was born the way he was. Didn't matter what his character was or how good he'd be.
(He sighs and looks at the sign. "NO ESPERS"
He's probably missing some context still. He knows he is. But--
... I'm pretty lousy at following rules.
(If you catch his drift.
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What? Not even an umbrella!? Those jerks!
[Kaoru was just as confused as her younger self.] Why umbrellas?
[Both of them catch his drift and the younger Kaoru suddenly no longer looks wary or even embarrassed. In fact, she's absolutely ecstatic.]
I'm terrible at it too!
[And because her younger self was so down with this Kaoru couldn't help but feel like she shouldn't agree so readily. She grabs Mutsu's sleeve.]
...are you sure that's a good idea?
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ii
ritsu swallows down the question, his world's rules aren't their rules. but the thought of being an esper and not being levels above this discrimination bs is something so foreign to him. the contrast between them and the joyous crowds is baffling to the mind.
he doesn't bring himself to look at kaoru. it's probably his fear of emotionally connecting, but if there's anyone who had the right to be angry about this, he supposed he was a bit better a fit than most. ]
That's a stupid rule.
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[She looks at this place and thinks....this is a terrible first impression of where she came from, wasn't it?]
But not everyone is driven by that fear and...we're doing things to make things better.
[She smiles at him and even if he doesn't look, he could probably hear it in her voice, warm and reassuring. She believes it, that what they're doing can change things!
Meanwhile ten year old her is scowling still.]
That doesn't do shit for us right now.
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So... not everyone, but most of the people who make the big decisions?
[ ritsu hears the crowd cheer louder, and he tightens his lip. he doesn't really get this type of thing for enjoyment, but... if it's with people he cares about, then maybe he kind of gets it. ]
This memory really stuck with you, huh?
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I have no idea if it's most...but definitely enough that it can be a problem.
[After all, that's why Babel exists.]
...you know. It's weird, but I don't think this is my memory. [She put her hands on her hips and titled her head as she thought.] At least...it wasn't exactly like this? I remember being upset when my sister went and I had to stay home. And I did stand outside one of these places but it wasn't...like this.
[It had been at night...and she broke in with the leader of an esper criminal organization. Though it was true that both memories really stuck with her.]
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So your sister's normal? ... Ahem, you know what I mean.
[ perhaps her heart had distorted some things? it doesn't sound like that big of a stretch. her little self's expression is more clear, but he can't get a good read on the kaoru he entered here with. ]
... What does it make you feel now?
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[And yes, she knows how that sounds but that's how things are.
What does it make her feel? That's a complicated one. As she considers it, her younger self said.]
Of course it makes me mad! Only some weird masochist would be okay with this!
[God, she was so annoying at ten!] I don't like it, but it's how things are. Throwing a tantrum about it would only make things worse for everyone. Besides, I said, right? It won't always be like this.
[...she's trying to be Mature, okay? She's not going to talk about how she kind of does want to go to one of these in daylight to experience it while it's crowded and lively.]
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