Truth Meme

[folkie]

Truth Meme

Somehow, there is kirin on you.

Most likely, it is the fur of the kirin that was caught in the environment of wherever you’ve been; there is a stray hair on you because one was on the seat you sat on upon the train or because it blew onto the brim of your hat in the wind.

Or it may be because you met the kirin—a playful ungulate moose-sized spirit who prefers not to speak—and engaged with him and gave him a pat, or a scratch behind an ear. Maybe the kirin nosed or licked your hand because you made him laugh (it’s an adorable ‘keh keh keh’ sound).

Unfortunately for both you and the kirin (who had not meant to trouble your day like this, truly), this exposure to his dander has only one reaction, and it happens to 100% of Star Children: you are compelled to tell the entire truth. About what is less specific; you are compelled simply to announce things about yourself—your life, experiences, thoughts, opinions, feelings. No matter if it’s something silly and inconsequential, deep or secretive, life-altering or commonplace. Some may choose to do this by employing Foxi and their relic; others by finding people to exchange truth with to face to face.

When you have met the kirin’s subconscious desire for four hours, you will be free from the truth telling and the recipient of 24 hours of good luck. The good luck will be sometime in the next year rather than in the next day, and you may have no idea where it came from, but you’ll know a lucky day when you have it!

• This meme is game canon unless marked otherwise at the start of threads! Threads can be used for spoons and application samples.
• Assume all characters involved on this meme are affected.
• Characters will compulsively state truths about themselves/their feelings on the network or in-person. Top-levels may include either/both options.
• Please include prompts in your top level.
• All questions will be answered with complete and total honesty. No special abilities, half-truths, or omissions can avoid sharing all of the truth.
• Meme is open until the next truth meme!
• After one month, you may use the kirin mechanic generally in game. It can be one-sided! All truth-telling characters must consent.

Comments

[therewerefifty]

[Now, that's just mean. But that does mean there is no hesitation.]

I am home. The door is open.

[steepwithdead]

Be there soon.

[THANK GOODNESS. He's really not suited for this. But a little while later he lets himself in - knocking lightly on the doorframe as he enters.]

Hey, guess who. [His sleeve is wriggling, and he's got one arm tucked under it.]

[therewerefifty]

[Seeing as she knew he was coming, she is both (a) presentable and (b) in the middle of making tea, leaning back from the bench in the kitchen to watch him come in.]

I have a dearth of choices to guess from. [It would be either him or Akechi, probably.]

Is that an animal?

[steepwithdead]

[Yeahhh, about Akechi... Caduceus is friendly as always, but he doesn't look especially happy to be visiting today.]

As a matter of fact, yes.

[He draws a wriggling little black and white cat from his sleeve and holds her up, something she is clearly not thrilled about.]

[therewerefifty]

[Oh, he isn't happy. Makie wonders if she's about to be lectured, honestly, but super distracted from that line of thought by the tiny cat that appears, and she blinks.]

A new arrival? [She wasn't even aware Akechi had a cat, so she is clueless. Is it hungry...? She can probably find some food somewhere...]

[steepwithdead]

No, ah. [He shifts his grip awkwardly, in the manner of which people who don't usually hold cats might hold a cat.] This was Akechi's cat. [And because he's fully aware of the implications, gently,] I'm sorry.

[He doesn't know precisely how close they were, but she'd come up before. If Akechi actually talks about someone in a positive light, he's learned the boy's affection runs much deeper than he'll say.]

[therewerefifty]

[There is a long moment where she still doesn't quite get it, blinking back at the cat and then Caduceus, before the use of was really sinks in. And ah.

Ah, that means... gone in more ways than one.]

I suppose he got what he wanted, then. [Her expression doesn't change overly much, but the faint sag of her shoulders and the focus of her gaze somewhere in the vicinity of Caduceus' hands are tells enough. Oh, she'll miss him.] He reminded me of my husband, a little. Or... the boy my husband used to be.

[steepwithdead]

Mm. [He can't disagree, though he wishes he could.] I suspect he was the only one who wanted it.

[Considering the state of their residence when he'd found the cat, though, he couldn't blame Akechi if he'd wished it. The place was entirely deserted, and the cat screamed like she'd been starving, which meant the others were gone, too.]

He spoke highly of you. It's no stretch to believe the affection is mutual.

[therewerefifty]

Too affectionate. His admiration was dangerous. [Heavily. But she drags her eyes away from the kitten and she vanishes from sight briefly, rummaging through one of her lower cupboards. Then a bowl appears on the benchtop.]

Are you leaving the kitten here?

[steepwithdead]

I don't believe such a thing is possible. Love, when tethered to another, is never wasted.

[He makes sure the door is securely shut behind him, and then lowers himself carefully to the floor, setting the cat down and loose so she can explore if she wishes. (She hides in his robe again, initially, but that's just a cat's way in a new place. Give her a minute.)]

I thought, if you were both lonely, you might take solace in shared company. [He smiles, shamelessly mirthful despite the sad situation.] Sorry, I didn't ignore it after all.

[therewerefifty]

It was more his willingness to defend me at the smallest provocation. My husband's killer is also in Folkmore. He knew. [Throwin' hands with a teenager on her behalf. It was endearing but Akechi please. She pauses, still going through her cupboard.]

I can't stop telling people things. That's... unfortunate.

[She doesn't acknowledge the cat-- let it explore where it may-- though a rueful look is most definitely evident when she straightens again, putting another bowl on the counter. Let's see, one for food, one for water...?] You're not one for ignoring things, are you?

[steepwithdead]

[Ahaha... yes. The truth telling issue. He's trying very hard not to take advantage of that. Her husband's killer in Folkmore... oh, that is tempting, though.

He's quiet for a long moment, politely holding his tongue, but her question merits an answer just as truthful from him.]

No, I'm not. My family is one of gift-givers and problem-solvers. Sometimes giving a gift solves a problem. You're lonely and I found a cat with no one to care for it. I don't believe in coincidences for every situation.

[therewerefifty]

If there were coincidences for every situation, there would be a lot less suffering in the world. Or more, I suppose.

Your family sound like good people. [Genuinely meant; she offers him a wistful smile.] I have never minded cats. Do you know its name?

[steepwithdead]

[He smiles and accepts the compliment to his family with a nod. He'd agree, of course. They pride themselves on doing their best, whatever their situation. If the Wildmother agrees and loves them, that's good to him.]

I was told her name is Amatsu-Mikaboshi, by Akechi. Mika was the name everyone else used.

[He doesn't speak Japanese so there's a joke in there somewhere for her, probably.]

[therewerefifty]

[...oh lord. Well, the humour is welcome at any rate. Her lips twitch.]

That feels a fitting name for Akechi-kun's cat.

I will look after her. [...] Perhaps he will return for her one day. [This place is rather strange. She won't hold out much hope, though.] Do you know... what happened to his gym? Is it still here?

[steepwithdead]

Ah. Hadn't thought about the gym, actually. I should go check it out.

[He wasn't a frequent visitor or anything, but it was a useful tool for some, and Akechi seemed to get a real thrill out of it. Would be a shame to have it go to waste.]

[therewerefifty]

I hadn't been for a while, but... if it needs someone to look after it...?

[That would mean prying herself out of the house, but for good reason. And it's not like Rin will ever turn up there.] It is a dangerous environment and needs oversight, should it have survived Akechi-kun's departure.

[steepwithdead]

I don't do a lot of fighting practice, admittedly. Most of my usefulness in a fight is magic based.

[Not to say that it's bad to practice magic either, it just tends to not do much for him besides use up spell slots.]

You'd likely get more mileage out of it. I'll gladly lend a hand if you need, though.

[therewerefifty]

[She offers him a smile at that, then crosses to her refrigerator to see if there's any leftover meat. A modern appliance she isn't scared of, at least.]

Do you function as a medic in a fight or do you have other magical skills?

[steepwithdead]

A bit of both, though I'm better suited to supporting others.

[He wiggles his fingers for the kitten to try and coax her out and make her feel more at ease. It seems to work, and she bats a bit at him, bunting experimentally against his fuzzy hand.]

[therewerefifty]

[Ahah. There's some leftover yakitori in here, which is probably not ideal, but she can break down the chicken pieces as a stopgap and... summon in some fish? Is that what cats eat? The stray that followed her around while she was on the run with Kagehisa ate her steak with great relish, so probably meat of any kind. She pulls out the leftovers.]

It must be very useful, to have such power available to you. You strike me as someone who would prefer to avoid conflict. [She blinks at him curiously.] Is that wrong?

[steepwithdead]

Not wrong. [He'll readily admit that, truth spell or not.] I'm not opposed to violence, when the situation calls for it. But I've found that many jump right to violence when alternatives could be safely pursued first.

[therewerefifty]

They do. [Softly.] I've killed a great many people, you know. I don't like killing. But sometimes I feel like my country runs on murder.

[Everyone jumps to skewering first. But seeing as we're being completely honest, she's forced to add after a moment...] I think... coming here has shown me how much gentler the world can be. It's hard to process. But it's clear I also made very poor choices.

[steepwithdead]

Mm.

[Did he know? He looks unbothered, anyway. He traveled with the Orphanmaker. Blood on one's hands doesn't mean as much when you're able to meet someone in the middle.]

There are many worlds, or many parts of a world, where you can't live without another creature dying. Even a desire to change that world can't stop someone from taking a few lives along that path. You can only make the choices you feel are best in the moment.

[therewerefifty]

[He's a very gentle sort, isn't he? And he is correct; she'd been trying to reconcile that; just move ahead and Do Better. The river put a bit of a kink in that stream of thought.]

I'm afraid Akechi-kun took to all the worst parts of me. [Ruefully. A little sadly. But it makes no difference now he's gone.] If I told him I'd tried to kill someone recently, he'd only have tried to finish the job for me.