Okay, I'm curious. Some of us have been here a while, some more then others. By quite a bit for some. But with all this time spent, I have to wonder but one thing.

Who here has actually gotten themselves in one of those love filled relationships, either currently or before? Here I mean, ones that happened before don't count. Additionally, who here even gives a damn?

If anyone is curious, I haven't found my cherished someone. I know, you all are just so saddened to hear that I am without one to love, but my heart is locked away behind the gates of hell.

[Despite the dripping sarcasm at the end, she felt this was a question that had a long time coming, it just had to be done.]

-Hey kids! It's Goddess Shinki! And she's enjoying the company of tiny robots serving her some delicious and colorful looking sponge cake.-

Hmm... These little golems are quite talented pastry chefs. It's so tastey! I just couldn't help myself~

Oh, Yumeko, dear, I believe we are due for a trip to this library Alice told me about. I've been wanting to gather some new reading material, after all. Bring a satchel.

Also, a query... What IS this Christmas thing I heard whispers of?

-She takes another bite of her cake, giggling.-

[[ Chronologically speaking, the first person she's going to see for the effects of the cake is Yuuka ]]

[ Yuuka appears on the mirror and she looks tired. Like... "hasn't had a scrap of food or sleep in a week" tired, not "hasn't fought something in a week" and bored. The distinction is in the bags under her eyes and the way she tracks the movement of leaves in the wind lazily. Even her tone lacks any of her normal vigor. ] ...this isn't where...

[ She can't even complete her thoughts. It's pretty bad for herm but if one is wondering the cause of all this, it's quite obvious. The green-haired youkai is literally sleeping in a pile of marigolds. Some have survived this attention, but some haven't.

Yuuka is also clutching something small and white in her left hand, but details are hard to see unless someone finds her in person; at risk to their own health, of course. ]

Greetings, I am speaking today to ask what may seem like an odd question.

[Despite it being an odd question, Alice looks rather serious when she proceeds to ask it. The use of video was to hopefully get the attention of more people.]

For this question, let us assume the following scenario. You find yourself in possession of a life sized replica, or puppet, of someone that you know. As it is a puppet of sorts, it is not a perfect recreation, but it appears to be the same until further investigation. You are able to control it's every single motion, but it is only able to do anything that you yourself are capable of doing,

If you were to be in this situation, what would you do?

[text]
Since the Powers That Be have decided that they want to give us all cavities and diabetes, I am keeping a big pot of stew going at Beaumont for anyone who needs emergency food that is not candy. If I am not there, Bulbasaur or one of the robots will be in charge of it. Do not worry, they are all sanitary. It is free to use so do not avoid it if you do not have food. There are severe health consequences to eating only sugar, which I guess the people in charge do not care about.

-----

Also if there is anybody that needs a place to stay, Beaumont has a lot of rooms open. It is by the lake on the northwest side, and is pretty convenient as far as being close to places. There are some robots here that do the housekeeping stuff. Also you will get a lot of free snacks because I bake a lot. I guess that is not much of a benefit right now but there you go. Pets are OK.

[action/video]

[Hi, Ladygarden residents. Do you like your reality TV to have normally linefaced girls curled up on the ground and crying in the middle of nowhere? Because the Vine has decided that is the hot new thing in entertainment. (The more perceptive viewers might notice she seems less opaque around the edges than usual.)

[After a moment, she notices the mirror broadcasting her. She makes a few awkward attempts to turn it off, then lets her arm flop to the ground.]

Fine. I give up.

[S'up, Ladygardens. Yumeko is currently inside the Spaceship — somewhere in the kitchen, most likely, from the looks of the background. On top of the counter she is standing behind, a number of sugar skulls are lined up. She glares at them. The names written on them don't bother her, but—]

"Excuse me," I begin, sounding irritated. [No, that isn't a sudden switch to first person prose. She's just...narrating her actions. For some reason.] "But could someone explain to me what the meaning of this is? I don't know how I'm expected to make adequate meals for Lady Shinki when all that's available to me are...these." I gesture toward the skulls. [And she does, fairly aggressively.]

I set my hands on my hips and sigh. [siiigh] "There's hardly any food to be seen, no matter how far out I go. And to make matters worse, after going too far, I wound up like this," I explain, placing a hand to my chest to indicate myself. I mean the fact that I can't seem to stop narrating my actions, of course. "Does anyone know what to do? It's not as though I don't have any food stored up, but I'd rather not be stingy..."

[Today, while roaming the Gardens, you might come across an unusual sight. Sure, there has been blonde maid in the Gardens for the past month and a half or so, but not one that is so...short. Or young. Upon closer examination, though, it seems that the clothes she is wearing are too big for her, and there's a bag of popcorn from the café cradled in her arms. Ah. Maybe that explains it.]

[The rabbits seem to be out in full force today, too, which isn't exactly helping matters. They harry Yumeko as they follow along at her heels, nipping at her socks and constantly getting underfoot in a way that offers just enough room to act like they aren't trying to trip her. Yumeko's scowl deepens more and more the longer this goes on, until finally she outright growls and throws the bag right at them in frustration. It's tossed with all the force she can muster, candy spilling everywhere as it hits the ground.]

[Whether or not that makes them scatter, Yumeko stomps past them without a backward glance at the mess she's made.]

Hmph...


[ ooc: JSYK, Yumeko has retained all her memories. The deaging isn't just physical, though — her mentality has also regressed, so despite her best efforts to do otherwise, she'll be behaving like a child. ]

[The image of a rather unhappy Sayaka fills the mirror. Some people have left, but one of those that managed to leave has left Sayaka in a bout of denial, with a rather easy idea to latch onto, even if it is false.]

Hey, something happened again and I missed it, right? Another mass abduction, or a note showing the way to some sort of treasure that went up when I was asleep? Or a multi day sleepover? Anything?

[Of course, nothing of the sort has actually happened. It's just that someone she had grown fond of is no longer there.

She's still handling it better than the last time part of her life went bad.]

-And during all of this body swap madness, there just HAD to be a new arrival. Because that's exactly what a chaotic soup needs. Chaotic garnish.

The vine's mirror reveals a woman looking rather... well it's hard to describe. Because how can one look at peace and yet perplexed at the same time. But that's what this woman with white hair seems to look like.-

... I'm not certain now is a good time for a vacation. How troublesome.

[Kariya is a little more willing to show her face on the mirror now, but her hood is pulled up, and she turns so the right side of her face is facing the mirror, the slack, ravaged left side only slightly visible.

She's sitting outside, near the Pagoda, with a red Chow Chow sitting beside her. The dog tries to climb onto her lap, but Kariya gently holds her back, smiling.]

Hello, Hiro. Down, girl. It's all right, we can play later. [The dog is much stronger than she is, and she exhausts rather easily, but she does like playing.]

I'm Kariya, and this is my friend Hiro. She's a good dog. [The Chow Chow pants happily, standing by. She seems to have assigned herself Kariya-helping duty.]

I already know some of you here, but not all of you. I've been living at the Pagoda. I think that's what it's called. [She gestures toward the building in the background.] So if you need me, this is where I am. I like it here. It's quiet.

[She pauses for a moment or two to breathe deeply.]

I don't want to bother anyone, but... It's hard for me to walk sometimes. Is there something that could carry me around? The ground here isn't even, and I'm not sure how well the wheelchairs I know would work. I don't have any soil, and I don't know how to make something new. I don't mind if it's magic or technology. If you could help me, I'd be thankful.

[Today, we see Raven sitting in the shade somewhere outside, doing some morning meditation. Eyes closed, legs crossed, arms to her sides and... levitating. In any case, she keeps repeating the same words over and over again:

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos"

The mantra continues to be recited without interruption until some visitors make their way to her.

Opening her eyes, she now notices that she's literally surrounded by Bellosom. While the creatures are certainly happy to see her, Raven doesn't seem to be nearly as excited.]

... Go away.

[Not excited in the slightest as she attempts to go back to her meditation. However, the Bellosom have other plans as several of them begin to chant their own name, much to Raven's growing irritation.]

Bellosom! Bellosom! Bellosom!

I said-

[Nope, sorry Raven, the Bellosom are currently busy dancing and trying to bring some cheer into your life! To which she responds with being visibly angry and...

... Is that a black aura surrounding her entire body? Sure does look like it.]