The Age Up/Down Meme

[kingshaming]

Look, most of our characters have lots of backstory to take advantage of, or headcanons for their future. This is the place to use it!

Prompts

1) People are suddenly shifting ages on the good ship Teremity! It's probably space waves and will fix itself in a day or two, so enjoy reliving your mispent youth.

2) You were always this age! Nothing bad is happening and you all already know each other and it's all cute af. A fluff option.

3) You are this age... and going through your round (or a remixed version) of your Airlocked season. Not for the REALLY young age downs!

Comments

[serrata]

[ ... So, Yuuri doesn't really look all that different at twenty six. She holds herself differently, her eyes are darker and sharper but for the most part she really does look like the same old Yuuri.

Similarly, the Champion Survivalist as she's now known doesn't really seem all that different on the surface. She's as quick to smile and big sister everyone as ever but the keyword there is 'surface'. Somehow, she'll always effortlessly navigate past personal questions and despite how kind she is, she doesn't actually seem particularly close to anyone.

Then trials start happening. And the gloves come off.

There's no tears or sympathy. Just shocking ruthlessness and ice cold practicality. She's a good asset during investigations and she's not too bad during trials but it's all still a little bit terrifying.

And then without missing a beat, she'll be back to smiles and big sistering at the afterparty. Jesus Christ, Yuuri. ]

[tasteslikesurvival]

[Champion Hermit. It's got to be a joke, Kurumi thought until she realized Yuuri was among the group she's in. Then she knows why the Overseers chose it. The idiots.

Kurumi vanished... well, she can't remember how long ago. Must have been at least a year but she's sure there's been more time in between that. It's hard when you can't tell night and day apart much, let alone seasons or years. She had left for their own good. This time Yuki didn't find her to bring her back. After that, well, Kurumi didn't remember much.

She's a little leaner than before but her easy-going manner didn't seem to change until she sees Yuuri.]

Shit...

[She doesn't run, though. In fact, she doesn't even seem to see Yuuri all that well, instead responding more to her voice than anything else.] Didn't think we'd meet again.

[serrata]

[ It's been seven years -- nearly eight -- since Yuuri last saw Kurumi Ebisuzawa, but Yuuri knows the one they lost the moment she claps eyes on her.

She hasn't been checking the profiles. As far as she's concerned, these other people will only matter once she knows without a shadow of a doubt that she can't get back home without them. She doesn't want any of them hurt or killed, god forbid. But they simply don't matter as much as what's waiting for her back home. Not yet.

So she's woefully unprepared for the sound of Kurumi's voice. She'd been inspecting her PIP, cautiously feeling the seams just gently enough to avoid getting a shock and hadn't looked up to see Kurumi's approach. But when she hears that voice her head all but snaps up and all she can do is stare.

She'd been angry at Kurumi over the years. Hurt, too. But mostly angry. Right now, all of that's gone, thrown into the wind and taken over by shock and disbelief. Kurumi looks so thin. So young. Had all of them looked quite so young, back then? She supposes it must be the case but it seems impossible to believe.

She makes a wordless shape with her mouth, too afraid to even breathe the name out loud. None of them have said Kurumi's name out loud in years. Not that she can remember. ]

...you... you're still...?

[ You're alive. ]

[tasteslikesurvival]

[Still alive? That's something that's debatable. Kurumi doesn't think her current state is 'living' at all. Being able to barely tell how long it's been, sleeping most of the day and even then the dreams... It's a wonder she looks young at all but that thinness, it's definitely clear she hasn't been taking care of herself at all.

She tilts her head in Yuuri's direction. She's looking at her but it's clear her eyes are unfocused.]

For one more day, at least.

[serrata]

[ God. Can she even see? Her eyes look so cloudy it's a wonder she's not walking into walls. It's a wonder she's walking at all in the first place -- when was the last time she ate? When was the last time she took care of herself?

All those questions queue on on her tongue and she can't make any of them come out. After two years had passed, Yuuri had told herself they'd never see Kurumi again. After that long by herself, she had to be dead or worse. But Yuki... ]

Yuki-chan... she always used to say you were still out there somewhere b--but I... I never thought you were really...

[tasteslikesurvival]

[Barely. Shapes, mostly. She could barely tell the other champions apart and had to ask one of them to help her read. As for the last time she ate or actually sat down for self-care, well.

Yuuri would have a heart attack if she even spoke of that. She just rubbed the back of her head in a gesture she'd be sure to remember as she moved a little closer.]

Yeah... yeah, she'd think that. That's our Yuki for you.

[serrata]

[ Yuuri's silent for a moment. Eerily so. But then, with no other warning, her hand shoots out and she grabs Kurumi by the collar. ]

And what the hell would you know about Yuki-chan?! When you disappeared for however long, you think you still have any right to call her that? Did you know she used to wait up every night, waiting for you to come back? Did you know she used to cry herself to sleep when she realized you weren't going to?!

[misanthropicprinciple]

[The Champion Action Hero is twelve years old.

At this age, he's rowdy and rude and fiercely against being 'babied,' even though he's by far the youngest of the captive Champions. Like any kid might be, he's unreasonably proud of a title like Champion Action Hero and thinks it makes him invincible. Happily, this hasn't gotten him into trouble yet.

Unhappily, trouble is never far in a life-and-death game.

The other Champions manage to keep Junpei away from the body of the first victim while they make their investigation, but none of them are prepared for what happens once they find the culprit. Junpei gets the same unimpeded view of the execution as everyone else--stares as Prince Xander's ripped to shreds by robot dragons.

His knees wobble, then give out entirely when he tries to step back, dropping him numbly onto his butt, and his mouth is open but he can't make a sound.]

[serrata]

[ He's not that much older than Ruu-chan, is her first thought the moment she sets eyes on him. She's not that off, either -- Ruu would have only been nine when the infection took hold and though three years is an age when children are that young, it's close enough that Yuuri can't stop herself making the comparison. A little part of her hates that she's this easily swayed -- she can harden her heart to adults but a child is impossible.

There's another, slightly quieter part of her that's relieved she's not that far gone.

She's done her best to keep an eye on him, despite all his protests -- she'd been one of the ones most fervently insisting he be kept away from the body. But she doesn't have time to block his view of the gory execution and only watch, pale, as it unfolds.

She doesn't say anything, not at first. When she crosses the courtroom over to his podium and stoops down to his level, she seems like she's all business. But then she carefully takes hold of his shoulders and her voice is soft even if her tone is a little short. ]

Do you think you can stand?

[misanthropicprinciple]

[When she touches him, he jumps in place, but his eyes snap away from the gruesome scene to her face, not quite so shocked he can't focus. He breathes in, pale as a ghost, then swallows and nods even though he's actually really not sure he can.]

Y-yeah. I--I'm, I'm okay.

[His stomach feels watery the way it does right after a roller coaster, but he pushes himself onto his hands and knees and manages to get up. He's starting to shake, though.]

Was... was that really... [His gaze darts towards the glass separating them from the execution chamber once more.] D-did Xander-san really...?

[He holds onto his own shirt to try to keep himself together.]

[serrata]

[ He's too smart to believe a comforting lie and Yuuri's not sure she has it in her to tell him one anyway. She doesn't hug him exactly but her hands settle on his shoulders again and squeeze gently -- she'll hold him steady, if he needs it. ]

... yes. [ That sounds too blunt so she forces herself to soften it, just a little. ] I'm... I know it was hard to watch. You shouldn't have had to see it. And it shouldn't have happened like this.

[ She doesn't find herself wanting to argue that a murderer should see an execution. But this? Making a show out of it? It turns her stomach. ]

But it's over. Okay? We're going to go back upstairs and I'm going to put together something for everyone to eat and drink. I think we need it after all this. Do you think you can help me?

[ Busywork. She can't change the fact that he's seen this but she can try her best to make sure his mind doesn't stay down here in the courtroom with it. ]

[misanthropicprinciple]

[Junpei's quiet a good long while, looking down at Yuuri's hands on his shoulders and then back towards the glass, shivering like a sapling in a gale.

He's never helped make food before, honestly. He doesn't know if he can do it. But that doesn't even seem like the problem right now. All this--all this, and Nanna-obaasan and Xander-san are dead, and they're just going to go on with their lives like nothing happened?]

...We're not gonna fight back...?

[Champion Action Hero indeed.]

[serrata]

With what?

[ It's an awful thing to say to a child and Yuuri hates herself for it. But in a place like this, they don't have the luxury of softening things for him. This is the reality of the situation they're in and they're just going to have to cope somehow. She's done it before. She'll work out a way to do it again. ]

There's nothing we can do about this. Not right now and especially not when everyone's so scared and shook up. But once we've managed to pull ourselves together then we can start making a plan of action. Just... not right now. Not before people can think straight.

[scourgingstars]

[The Survivalist and Healer weren't so different, when it came down to it. Ardyn was just as sharp in trials, though perhaps holding far more sympathy for the accidental or hesitant culprits. But once it was all over, he was one hundred percent smiles and determined compassion, helping in the kitchen as much as he was capable.]

Lady Wakasa, I left everyone the adequate invitations. How else might I be of assistance to you?

[serrata]

Well, you can stop calling me 'Lady Wakasa', first of all.

[ She doesn't sound chiding though and she's got her usual smile pasted back on her face. It's impossible to tell if she's actually close to being as calm as she looks or if she's just putting a good face on -- but considering how flat and cold she was in the trial, it might be something more like the former.

She's in the midst of making a huge pot of something loaded with rice and vegetables and she gestures towards a pile of potatoes still sat on the counter. ]

But those need peeling too, if you think you can handle both of those.

[scourgingstars]

As you wish, my lady. [The light glinted off the accessory in Ardyn's hair as he bowed, turning on his heel to face the counter and reaching for a knife.] I will emerge victorious over the challenge you have laid before me.

[serrata]

You're absolutely ridiculous, I hope you're aware.

[ Yuuri's actual title: Champion of Making Mean Things Sound Like Fond Teasing. ]

But it's good that you're holding yourself together well, though. I wouldn't expect that after... [ a vague hand gesture that probably means 'all of this fucking nonsense' ] People are taking it hard.

[scourgingstars]

What terrible slander and treason upon my name. A crime of the highest order, punishable by having to endure my company for longer still.

[speaking of fond teasing.]

I will be fine, you need not spare concern for me. Though the situation is...dire, death itself is no stranger in Lucis. [said the aCTUAL TEENAGE CHILD]

[serrata]

[ She hums absently -- it's not exactly agreement but she gives a little nod as well before surprising herself by speaking up. ]

I know what you mean. It's not as thought I enjoyed watching it happen but... it's nothing new. I'm mostly worried about the people who might not have seen something like that before.

[ Because they might get the bright idea to kill and get out of this place as well. Like idiots. ]

[daughterofthemark]

[Arianna has made it her mission to be the one to get close to Yuuri. At first it was just because she totally wanted to hit that. Then P.A.L. took over, and it started also being about how befriending the Champion Survivalist seems like an obvious good idea. But after their first trial, she's come up with a third reason, one that's far more important than the others: she wants to befriend Yuuri for Yuuri's sake, because being that detached can't be good for anyone.

That's why one morning, after getting up early to exercise skills she hasn't used in years and wasting a lot of ingredients, the Champion Negotiator knocks on Yuuri's door, carrying a tray full of food.]

[serrata]

[ ... ah, good. Company. Exactly what she does not want on this fine, fine morning.

The door only just cracks open -- not enough to get a good look inside but just enough for Yuuri to hear whoever it might be a-knocking today. ]

Yes? Is something the matter?

[daughterofthemark]

[Sometimes the first step to succeeding at something is just getting your foot in the door, and Arianna isn't afraid to take things literally. So have fun closing that door again. Actually please don't have fun doing that. She likes her toes.]

Indeed! I seem to have prepared an excess of breakfast, and I need assistance with making use of it.

[serrata]

Oh, then why not take it down to the dining room? I'm sure some of the others would love to try it.

[ that was probably the politest "go away" ever uttered in human history ]

[daughterofthemark]

[Duly noted... and ignored!]

I'm afraid it's not that great an excess. The surplus is only enough for one person.

[serrata]

I'm not hungry, Arianna.

[ Ah, it looks like we've left politeness behind and now we're cutting right to the heart of it. Congratulations, you are now on phase two of this boss fight of a conversation. ]