"Of course, Satsuki-sama."
"Hijiri-san?!" Nanoha exclaimed, quite baffled to see Byakuren looking no older then, well, Nanoha herself did. This in and of itself was a bit confusing, the fact that Byakuren seemed rather panicked was a bit on the confusing side as well, really. "Um.. wait, your brother isn't... and you have to... I... um... Why are you my age now?"
This was hopelessly confusing. She heard someone else calling, and noticed... wasn't that the woman who'd been injured? But much smaller... Nanoha's ages as well.
"Ehhhhh?"
edited 19th Nov '11 1:07:30 PM by AnnoR
"Oh, dear. The toad, the monkey, and the dog have all screwed up."
The Mighty Pen
Jack drifted slowly into consciousness. The experience was strange and unfamiliar. Unless he had been injured, he usually woke up very quickly, so as not to be taken off guard while he was still drowsy. The details of an unfamiliar ceiling were coming into focus. Lazily, he raised one hand. It too, looked strange, smaller and more delicate than it used to be. He thought about this for perhaps half a minute before the full impact hit him. That brought him out of the trance-like waking state immediately and he sat up, doing his best to keep from panicking. Some challenges, like the previous one, had changed his clothes before, but this was the first time even his body was changed for the purpose. He looked down at himself...and promptly looked back up again, his face turning beet red. He was indeed not himself...or a he, for that matter.
Helplessly conscious of everything, he noticed a full-length mirror nearby and rushed over to look. A frightened young woman looked back. She was dressed rather formally, as far as she could judge, though her hair remained in its usual topknot, with a couple bangs on either side hanging loose. She noticed, with a little relief, that she retained the callused hands and strength that she remembered. She looked around the room, her thoughts slowing to a manageable pace. It was a spare room, but still contained various knick-knacks and personal possessions she might have had, if Aku had not returned. On one wall was displayed a photograph with a name. Though in her heart, she remained Jack, her name in this world was Jun Takahashi. And she had no idea what to do next.
A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent upon arriving. -Lao Tzu
WHAT HAS SCIENCE WROUGHT
Celia was standing nearby and moved in when she heard Byakuren.
"So, I wake up today. And I was a nine year old girl. And guess what? Even here, my parents were STILL killed and apparently my name is Celia. Still Cletus, by the way."
...and that's terrible.
"...and then, the portal sprang up and, well, here I am!"
"That is such a strange story, but considering we've dealt with aliens and time travel before, I guess dimensional stuff was the next logical step."
"Indeed!"
"Well, now you've been transformed and stuck into this challenge, you probably aren't gonna solve it by sitting in your room wearing pyjamas."
"Right you are, Arthur! To clothing it is!"
"TICK! You could've waited until I shut my eyes!"
"Why? Haven't you seen a person take off their shirt before?"
"Yes but there are diff- Look never mind. I think the underwear is in this draw, and that looks like a school uniform hanging up there."
"Ah, school! The sacred plot of the garden of the world, wherein future minds can be cultivated, to blossom and bloom into the citizens on the future! (Woah, what in the world is this doohickey?)"
"Oh, lord..."
The newly feminine Tick skipped downstairs in her dark blue skirt and blazer, whistling a happy tune, with Arthur trying to keep still on her shoulder. At the table in the snug little kitchen, an athletic man in a brown suit with short brown hair sat reading the paper. He got up and smiled as he saw Tick come in. "Morning, little lady! And how's my pumpkin doing?"
"I'm not a pumpkin, I'm a girl."
The patriach chuckled. "That's my girl!" he said as he ruffled her hair. Arthur pretended to be a toy, but couldn't help thinking the man's voice sounded familiar.
"Breakfast's ready, honey! It's eggs and bacon," said the curly black haired and aproned woman as she carried that breakfast over.
Arthur shot up, "Oh my gosh, American Maid?! But that means- ...Die Fleudermaus! American Maid! It's us!" Arthur hopped up and down until he fell onto the table, narrowly missing the eggs. "...they can't see me..."
"Aw, come on, Janet, she doesn't want that!" 'Die Fleudermaus' turned to Tick, "Hold on sweetheart, I'll get out that cereal you love." The father was smacked upside the head by the mother.
"Manuel! She's had enough of that this week. Eleanor's a growing girl; she needs her protein!"
"Oh yeah, just like she needs he raisin bran and her toast."
"Manuel, set an example for once!"
Arthur sat on his haunches, bewildered. "Tick, don't you find it the least bit creepy that our fellow superheroes are acting as substitutes for your parents?"
Tick just shrugged, then sat down, ate a bit of bacon dipped in ketchup, and made an 'mmm' sound.
"There, you see? She likes it." 'Janet' said with folded arms.
'Manuel' sighed. "C'mon, Eleanor, you gotta back your dad up sometimes."
"Okay Dad!" Tick said cheerily. Arthur groaned. This was going to be a very long day.
Before long, Tick was running up to the train station to meet with Nanoha and the others. ("I still don't see why we couldn't have taken the rooftops,") she muttered.
"Shush!" hissed Arthur as he bumped about in her satchel.
edited 28th Nov '11 3:09:58 PM by LizardOfAus
-DK slowly comes to, stretching out and yawning loudly. Only then does he notice that his arms are noticeably shorter, thinner and lacking in hair, and that his voice is rather higher in pitch.-
Grr? Argfblflb?
-Also something appears to be wrong with his mouth, he cannot produce sounds anymore, or at least not the ones he is used to.-
Gnnnn RR!! Grrrrnn!!Arrrrrfffflblf!
-Looking around the room for an explanation, he finds none. Gold and silver drinking utensils, tiny metallic figures of humanoids, but no indication of what has happened.-
Grrrnkkkx!
-Now getting equal parts agitated and annoye, the former ape heads through an open door, which happens to lead into a small bathroom. With a mirror.-
...
-The primate is left slack-jawed as he contemplates his new form.-
The twins, not exactly wanting to gain the ire of Akiha, quickly changed into the two identical school uniforms they found in the wardrobe. As they were both wearing the exact same thing now, the only notable difference between the two were their eyes, and Kohaku's ribbon. Hisui looked at herself in the mirror, and squirmed uncomfortably. She hardly ever wore anything other than her maid uniform, after all, and wearing something like this was a new experience that she wasn't exactly pleased with.
"Good mooorniiing, Shiki-saaan~!" Kohaku squealed as she entered the living room to find a handsome young man wearing glasses, currently seated by the coffee table. Her greeting gained her a scornful look from Akiha, who was sitting next to him and daintily sipping her morning tea.
"Kohaku, what have I told you about referring to your father in such a disrespectful tone?" she said, placing the intricately decorated china cup on the table. "You're a member of the respectful Tohno family, you should start acting like it."
...Father? Wait, what? Kohaku turned to her sister, who seemed to be oddly quick on the uptake.
"Good morning, Otousan," she said, respectfully bowing to Shiki. "Good morning, Okasan." Followed by a bow to Akiha. "I hope that you are both well this morning."
Wait, Shiki-san's our father, and Akiha-sama is... Our mother? What kind of messed up world is this? Her thoughts quickly rushed to a more important matter. Wait, if Shiki is my dad, then... Is it still okay to feel the same way about him as before?
"I am fine, thank you Hisui," Akiha replied, her suddenly more pleasant tone causing Kohaku to momentarily forget any incestuous thoughts. "I would be better if your sister would follow your example, but..."
"Ah, no need to be so hard on them, Akiha-chan," Shiki said, his smile warming the hearts of all three girls in the room. "I like them both the way they are. I couldn't ask for better daughters."
"W-well, um..." Akiha blushed. "...K-kohaku, hurry up and prepare lunch for you and Hisui. There's some toast and miso soup for breakfast. Hisui, um... Go help her." She thought for a moment. "...With serving breakfast. Kohaku can make lunch herself."
After a quick breakfast, each twin took one of Kohaku's delicious packed lunches and headed off, bidding their "parents" farewell. As they walked, they noticed some of the other champions heading along in the same direction as them.
"...That was weird, Hisui-chan!" Kohaku burst out, running erratic circles around her more steadily paced sister. "I mean, imagine Shiki-san as our father! Not that I care either way, ufu~"
"That... That is indeed strange, Nee-san," Hisui replied. "But please bare in mind that that was not the Shiki-sama and Akiha-sama we know."
"Who cares? Shiki-san is Shiki-san, ufu." The elder twin giggled. "I love him the same either way~ I don't care if he's my father in this world~"
"...Nee-san, I would advise you not to speak that opinion to others." Hisui said bluntly, trying to avoid eye-contact with Kohaku. "They may think it... Rather offputting."
"How come? I mean, I love Shiki-san, so what's wrong with that?" Kohaku stopped in her tracks underneath a blossoming cherry tree and stared in confusion at her sister. "So what if he's my father now? You're my sister and I've always loved you the same way, so why should it be different for Shiki-san?"
"...Nee-san, please do not mention that," Hisui hung her head, her bangs shadowing her eyes. "Come along now, we mustn't be late."
"Ah... I suppose, ufu~ No time for idle chit-chat, ahah~"
Not long afterwards, the two came to the train station. There was a strange air of awkwardness between them, and neither seemed to be talking as much as they usually did.
edited 19th Nov '11 1:36:24 PM by Moerin
Dreams of Revenge
Grey's eyes fluttered open uneasily, and he groaned loudly as he rolled on to his side. He felt so tired all of a sudden. Rubbing his eyes, he felt small pieces of... something... coming away. That was weird. Had some covering degraded to a point where it was breaking into pieces? That was worrying, to say the least - he'd have to get Gunner or someone else who was technologically inclined to check him over once the challenge ended.
More alarmingly, however, he didn't feel the familiar thrumming of his power source, nor could he access any of the labyrinthine systems that he usually could. His eyes snapped open, and instead of the gradual scrolling sensation he was used to feeling when his lenses adjusted to the prevailing light conditions, there was nothing. It was seriously worrying now, to be honest. Looking around, Grey noted the rather clean, spartan nature of the room he was in - and the mirror, perched above a metal desk that only had one or two items on it.
His eyes widened further, and his mouth hung open. This wasn't him. This wasn't his body. A stranger gawped back at him from the mirror, clearly just as surprised as he was at the situation. The stranger had fairer skin than he had, and their long, flowing hair was blue-grey rather than the silvery colour of his own hair. She also had proper ears, unlike the white rounded rectangles that served as Grey's own.
◊
He was no longer himself.
He was a human girl. Before he could continue his freakout, however, a voice called to him from outwith the room that made his blood run cold. "Grace, you're going to be late for school. You don't want to make a bad first impression, do you?"
The voice was as gentle and warm as he had remembered when he first heard it, but all the same he couldn't help but almost feel like yelping in horror. Getting up, he almost slid out of the (rather cramped bedroom), and his worst nightmare was confrimed. Standing there was a man with long teal hair
◊, a kindly smile on his face. Rather than the robes of the Sage Trinity, he wore a labcoat, a white shirt and tie, and black pants. The black headset that he had worn before was conspicuously absent. Clutched in one hand was a book, although Grey couldn't read the title. His eyes were a soft green colour, in contrast to the red irises and black sclera of the real Master Albert.
"What's the matter? You're not usually this reluctant to get up, or that quiet for that matter... are you still feeling worried about your older brother and sister moving away?" Concern spread across Albert's face, and his tone was alarmingly fatherly. "Listen, they won't stay away from us forever; they will still visit us from time to time, and I'm sure they'll have many wonderful things to tell us about. But enough about that; get dressed, okay? It wouldn't do to be late!"
Grey paused for a few moments, unsure how to respond. "Um... sure, I guess."
Even his voice seemed alien, which only made things harder to accept. Finding his/her uniform after a short struggle, Grey - or Grace, as he was apparently called in this universe - got changed* and stepped out, ready to get going. To say the least, she was rather confused about this whole "family" business, but she had no time to continue her musings before she had already left the tenement and the apartment building behind with a heartfelt goodbye and wish of good luck from her "father", trotting along the pavement with her mind churning. What... what was happening? To make things worse, during her walk she realised that her buster and Model A were gone... where were they? She was getting increasingly agitated, and eventually Grace decided to lean against a nearby lamp post as she tried to make sense of this crazy world.
edited 19th Nov '11 1:36:43 PM by Flanker66
Locking you up on radar since '09
Jail flew through the transdimensional space experiencing same changes as everybody else - and analysing them, building theories as to what was happening.
These portals are a new challenge no doubt. They mentioned that some previous have transformed them...
And right on that, the transformations begun. His Barrier Jacket and Device receded into standby on their own and them the changes to his body begun. His frame shrunk and structure shifted.
Right on cue... So it is one of those. It's going to be hard finding others.
As with others, the channel left him, or, now, her, in bed. Jail didn't stay in it for long - the situation demanded examination.
First of all - a test if his normal powers are with him. And when he couldn't conjure even a simple ball of light he came closer to outright panic than he ever was since arriving in the crystal city. But a spark of comfort became apparent - as he desperately grasped for the pendant on the bed table, his Device glinted in response. It still was active and still could grant everything he could do before.
And then - the examination of whom he now was supposed to be. Jail only knew a "normal" room in theory - and he assumed that it was. The wardrobe housed several dresses, including several similar ones which he assumed to be some kind of uniform. The most outstanding feature of the rest of the room was the amount of books that were spread across it - the owner was definitely a bookworm.
Investigation was interrupted by a familiar voice from downstairs.
"Jail! You are going to be late for school! Get down this instant!"
That voice... Uno! Is she supposed to be my mother now? What game are those forces playing?
But nevertheless, Scaglietti was going to comply with the challenge - and that meant playing the masquerade prepared for her. She dressed into the uniform, grabbed the pendant of the Device and headed down.
Mother waiting for her was and was not Uno that Jail knew. She seemed more of a clone of one he knew, rather than the real one snatched for the game: the body was the same, sans the modification, but the personality was not.
After a quick breakfast and asking for reminders about the way to the school and necessary things to take and do, Jail Scaglietti quickly headed for the train station.
The sight of familiar hairstyles in the crowd was the first relaxing thing for the whole challenge yet - others have had experience in both the challenges and the life of which this one was a mock up. They could make this easier.
"Good morning, Nanoha, everyone!" she waved to the gathering group from a distance.
But as Jail discerned the same look of confusion on her face as was on his own, the though of anything being easy has packed and left.
edited 19th Nov '11 1:53:22 PM by Adannor
The Tick reached the others. "Morning Nanoha, morning maid twins, and ah! I recognise that hair colour. Jail Scaglietti, right?"
edited 19th Nov '11 1:42:44 PM by LizardOfAus
Erika pushed her way throught the crowds by the station, hoping to find anyone shw recognised on the way.
"Yup. That tasted purple."
Soon, Shotaro, or in this world, Shoko, was lead to the train station by Akiko. Shoko was now dressed in a navy blue school uniform, as well as her fedora. "Now, this is your first day back, try not to ruin it for yourself, okay, Shoko?" Akiko told him. Er, her.
"Yes, I don't really need to be escorted." Shoko said as he looked at Nanoha and the others.
THWACK
Akiko slapped Shoko with her slipper. "Foolish! You're obviously confused!" Akiko said. She then put her hands on Shoko's shoulders then whispered. "Try not to think about her too much." Akiko then kissed her on the fore head. "Love!" Akiko said before leaving "Bye-bye!" Akiko said. Shoko then looked to Nanoha and the others.
"... She used to be my Chief. Now's she's my mother..." Shoko told them.
I'm Back Bitches (not really)
A man with brown eyes and wild brown hair opens the door. "Yes Jenny what's the matter?"
The Doctor pants loudly. "Nothing... just a spider on the mirror."
The taller man slaps the mirror. "Well come on! You're going to miss the train if you don't eat breakfast soon! Allons-y!"
Jenny puts on her uniform. So my last incarnation is my dad and I'm named Jenny... This day gets weirder and weirder.
Jenny walks down the stairs... only to nearly burst into tears. A tall blond woman is cooking breakfast while a teenage girl with short black hair is pouring over a math book. Lastly an old, nearly bald man is trying to read the paper and talking about police boxes Jenny runs to the teenager and hugs her as hard as she can. "SSSUUUSSSAANN!"
The girl chuckles. "Yes Jenny? Did you have another nightmare about the rats?"
The woman laughs. "Susan that ended last year rememeber?"
Susan nods. "Yes Mary..."
Jenny looks dumbfounded. My old incarnations... Romana... Susan. Oh why Susan? I shouldn't have locked that door.
The man speaks up. "Susan. Me and Mary want to go to a resturant tonight. You mind watching Jenny?"
Susan starts to sound whiny. "But you promised I could see David!"
The Doctor flinches as the man nods. "That I did. Oh well I'll call one of your friends then."
The family eats their breakfast talking about their lives. It's so much like my own universe... in a way deliberately construed to hurt me. What kind of cruel Celestial put me here?
The older man grabs Jenny and Susan's hand. "Now guys we need to walk to the station together today. The hospital needs me now and any other way of travel would go too slow."
Jenny seems to struggle. "But Dad I'm inde...Inde... able to do things by myself."
The man chuckles. "Come on Jenny hold your daddy's hand. You're only young once."
Jenny chuckles. Not if the Celestials and regeneration have anything to say.
Jenny tries to not look terrified as she walks to Nanoha. "Ohayou Nanoha-chan." Wow still got Japanese I see.
To Be Updated when I'm not Lazy
"Good morning, Takamachi-san," Hisui bowed to Nanoha, before turning to the Tick. "Ah... Good morning, Tick-san." she said, after a moment's hesitation. "I see you have also been affected by this world. It is indeed a most peculiar place."
"...Ah? So that cute little girl with the purple hair... Is Spaghetti-san? Pfft..." Kohaku tried to contain her laughter, but ultimately, it all came flooding out. "AHAHAHAH! Oh my, aren't you just the cutest, Spaghetti-chaaan~?" She kept on laughing as she teased the scientist's hair and pinched her cheek. "Ahahah, I could just eat you up like your namesake, ufu~!"
Tick saw Susan come over. "Morning, citiz-" Arthur elbowed Tick in the leg, "Nng I mean, morning...er...hello! What can I do for you?"
edited 19th Nov '11 1:53:45 PM by LizardOfAus
WHAT HAS SCIENCE WROUGHT
Celia, meanwhile, was stuck adjusting her brown ponytail and pulling her long duster with a determined look on her face. She seemed to just be venting, rather than listening to the others.
"The worst part is one of my adoptive parents was Benny freaking Gecko, a guy who shot me through the skull in my world..."
...and that's terrible.
Ten minutes later, Landa walked out of her room, resplendant in her uniform. Although she was mentally unfamiliar with putting it on, she somehow managed through muscle memory she had aquired somewhere. Downstairs, she chanced across a strangely familiar woman
◊ carrying a tray of food between rooms. The woman gave a soft, warm smile.
"You had only seconds to spare! Come along then, Landa-chan." Landa followed her into another room, this one set with a large table. Sitting opposite the door was a man
who elicted a feeling of... not exactly hate, but some sort of emnity, possibly a rivalry? As ever, of course, she couldn't say where that feeling came from. As such she was rather taken aback when the man also smiled.
"Landa-chan, you look even cuter than your mother did in her school uniform." A blush came over the girls face, but he didn't notice because the woman cut in.
"Cid! That was uncalled for!" He looked up, not quickly enough to dodge the flying piece of toast. Somehow, he managed to catch it in his mouth. "Now then, Landa-chan, eat up! It's a very important day!"
As Landa walked out of the house, she had figured a few things out. Firstly, those two people were her parents. Something about that felt weird, as if some part of her was amused about it. Secondly, and considerably more practically, she knew the way to school. She had stopped at the door to ask, and her father, the man called Cid (the name made her feel less tense around him, as if it made him someone else entirely), had told her to just follow the people wearing the same uniforms as she.
And in doing so, she came to the station. She saw some people already getting to know each other, and she again felt like she recognized them from somewhere. As they all waited for the train, she watched them from a distance with he bright, golden eyes.
edited 19th Nov '11 1:58:28 PM by Anura
A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they will never sit in.
Figure of Hourai
Byakuren clutched the tiger soft toy—fittingly dubbed Shoumaru, just like the only other tiger the girl had ever named—tighter and shuffled around until she was behind Nanoha. Why were so many people now little girls or bigger schoolgirls? Who were they all? And why were they all coming over to her and Nanoha... she recognised Kohaku and Hisui but it was hard to tell who everyone else was and they were all crowding around...
Despite being a magician with over a millennium of knowledge and magical talent, Byakuren still had all the maturity and ability to cope of a nine year old. She also had no access to her normal magic, so there was no recourse for her there... it was amazing that she was taking everything so calmly.
Grey probably wouldn't appreciate someone coming over to 'her' in this situation, certainly not someone without any ability to help, but was nevertheless going to be subjected to it. It was a tall girl, one of the tallest, if not the tallest, students in 'her' year. She was also distinctive. Whilst the waist-length black hime cut was somewhat unmemorable, this girl had something that pretty much no other student was likely to have: a missing arm. Specifically, her right arm was absent.
Someone cruel would say that it had been used to make her breasts larger.
"Is something the matter?"
Avatar Source
In contrast to previous stoic behaviour, Jail responded by reaching out and stretching the maid's cheeks.
"You're irredeemable, aren't you?"
Wild Horse
Gunner mechanically spooned the bland food into her mouth, not tasting what few flavors were in the mush as she contemplated what had happened. Apparently, she was in a world where she wasn't a soldier, given her "mother's" reaction of mild amusement.
Seeing that she was in a challenge, her hypothesis was that she hhad to conform to the wishes of her parental unit and go to school.
Soon, she finished the nostalgia inducing meal and changed into her school uniform. Uncomfortable without any armor on underneat save for lingerie (which she thought were rather impractical as it wasn't tight enough to bind her chest and also hard to even put on), the teenager headed out the door with her schoolbag.
Pausing, she stopped to wipe away her tears from seeing her creator alive and even treating her somewhat like a daughter (though the madam was still somewhat aloof and formal towards her "daughter".) Thank you... She thought, following the directions towards high school, a bit curious towards trying the experience.
Always be ready to do the unusual and unexpected.
I'm Back Bitches (not really)
Jenny restrains the urge to hit herself. Of course I look nothing like myself. "Nanoha-chan. It's me the Doctor... I'm little now." Don't mention Amy or there's even more mocking "Have you seen Wey... We... Have you seen Mysterio Nanoha-chan?" I hate this lisp.
Susan nods. "Not much. Dad was just wondering if you'd babysit Jenny tonight."
She points to Jenny who's talking to Nanoha. "He says that him and Mary are going to see a movie and go to a resturant."
edited 19th Nov '11 2:02:13 PM by Fusionman
To Be Updated when I'm not Lazy
Vampire Hunter
"I'm Chun-Li," Chun-Li said quietly to the group. "...Why is everyone younger or a woman?"
She was thinking about her father. He is alive, but does that mean M. Bison isn't here or that he hadn't gotten to her father yet?
edited 19th Nov '11 2:08:23 PM by GameGuruGG
Wizard Needs Food Badly
"Of course, Satsuki-sama."
Nanoha stared at the girls crowding around her in utter bafflement. So... they were all the people she met before? But... but... only some of them were the same! All the others, their ages had changed, they were younger... some of them at least, and they were all female. She had no idea to respond to this utterly bizarre situation, and absolutely no idea what to even say.
"I... um... Rey-san?" she asked," No... but... what happened? I... you're... I'm so confused..."
She backed up, inadvertently bumping into Byakuren behind her.
edited 19th Nov '11 2:07:56 PM by AnnoR
"Oh, dear. The toad, the monkey, and the dog have all screwed up."
WHAT HAS SCIENCE WROUGHT
"I don't know, why was I turned into a cybernetic fire gecko earlier? Just blame it on the challenges."
Chun-Li might remember, in her time as Road Warrior, running over a cyborg lizard after Scorpion kicked it from behind.
...and that's terrible.
"No problem, no problem at all! I've done some kind-of babysitting before,"
Arthur recalled the horrifying event and shuddered.
"So you can count on me to take care of a lil' scamp like Jenny."
"Hey, my father is alive, and I'm a child, too!" Chun-Li spoke up as she met up with Nanoha and Byakuren. "It's like I am back in my own past!"
Gen was young again as well, but neither of the two would know who he is. If this was really the past then, she then would lack the fighting prowess that she had as an adult.
edited 19th Nov '11 1:07:06 PM by GameGuruGG
Wizard Needs Food Badly