Warning, ahead of time: This story contains occasional heavy themes, including but not limited to implied child abuse, self-destructive actions, and the end of the world. They are not the point of the story, but not everyone is okay. If you go on reading, you may have a shot at fixing this.
August 23, 2009
"Summer vacation. A time for lazy afternoons, unending skies, and the sweet freedom from alarm clocks," Amu narrated.The sky above was a brilliant azure, interrupted only by a few fluffy clouds. Below her was a rocky hillside, with tufts of grass peeking out here and there. The ground was a bit too steep and rocky for her liking, but not so bad that it made climbing impossible. "Not a time for hiking, but a time for lying on the couch reading manga, or hanging out with my friends, or eating popsicles." She paused to wipe her forehead, grimacing at the sweat clinging to her bangs.
Her mother turned around and raised an eyebrow.
"It's supposed to be summer vacation, Mom," she said, trying to sound pitiful and not like she was whining. "And it's like, thirty degrees out."
Her father, trudging along a few feet ahead with a camera around his neck, gave her a sympathetic look. He was wearing a bright red and yellow Hawaiian shirt and cargo shorts, not stylish even in the slightest, but comfortable for hiking. His blond hair was slicked back with sweat.
"Come on, Amu-chan," he said, giving her a tired smile. "You used to enjoy the outdoors. Do it for us. Look at Ami, she isn't complaining."
Her baby sister, a few feet away, was sitting on her mother's shoulders, staring blankly ahead. She was wearing a straw hat with a wide brim to protect her pale skin from the sun, and a green sundress. Her mind was distant.
"She's dazed by the heat, Dad," she said, frowning. "Also, she's a kid. Of course she likes the outdoors."
Amu looked up at the sky. The sun was almost directly above them, a giant burning orb. Amu could almost feel her skin sizzling from the rays. It was probably a good thing she was lightly dressed, but she was still hot.
"Look, I'm not going to melt just because we're walking," she said, sighing. "It's just, it's the last week of summer. And it's Saturday, and I could have spent the day chatting with Utau. Or sleeping. You're both making me hike in the middle of the summer."
"We're all suffering," her father said, patting her on the shoulder. "Don't worry, we're almost at the top."
Amu gave only a minor grumble. Her parents had a point. The fresh air was doing wonders to clear her mind, and it was fun complaining a little. She looked up the slope, and saw the clearing they had been aiming for, a flat plateau part way up the mountain.
"You see," her father said, smiling. "It'll be worth it, I promise. Now, come on, you're not going to let your father and sister get there before you?"
"I'm coming," she said, and took a step forward, following the path her father had tread.
She adored such days. The fresh air, the cool wind, and the sense of adventure as they climbed up the hill, the thrill of exploring. Her parents leading the way, their smiles and her sister's giggles, the smell of flowers and grass, it all made the trip worthwhile. No complicated thoughts, no worries, just the four of them and the beauty of nature.
The climb was relatively easy. The path was worn, and not crowded. They'd hiked this route a few times in the past, and knew where the best places were.
It was nice.
In the distance, she could see the silhouette of Tokyo Tower, standing tall amid the cityscape, its red and white framework distinctly recognizable even from afar. Further away, the more modern—recently completed—Tokyo Skytree pierced the sky, contrasting yet complementing the older landmark. Shinjuku's cluster of skyscrapers seemed like a miniature city of its own, bathed in sunlight and bustling with unseen life.
But what caught her eye most was the quiet shimmer of the Sumida River, snaking its way through the metropolis like a silvery thread. It seemed to capture the essence of Tokyo—ever-flowing, ever-changing, yet enduringly constant.
She felt the weight of her responsibilities momentarily lift off her shoulders, replaced by a quiet sense of awe and wonder. The city she'd so recently saved was indeed beautiful, and for a fleeting moment, everything felt absolutely perfect.
"Hey, are we still doing that tonight?" her mother asked, looking at her over her shoulder. Ami was still perched on her mother's shoulders, the straw hat covering half her face.
Amu smiled. "Utau said yes. She's really excited. You wouldn't think it's just a family dinner."
"I'm surprised you didn't bring her," her father said, his gaze still fixed on the scenery in front.
"She's busy..." Amu said. Her face fell slightly. "Something about a new single."
Her mother laughed. "You mean, her caretaker's making her practice. Utau is the most driven and hard-working teenager I've ever known."
"I guess," she said, smiling again. "Still, I wish I could do something to help."
Her mother reached out and gently touched her head, ruffling her hair. "You do more than enough, Amu-chan. We're proud of you."
Her smile widened, and for a good minute she simply basked in her parents' words, and their company. Every child loved their parents, of course, and every parent would have said they were proud. But to Amu, it was an extra special thing, something precious. Her parents weren't lying. Their emotions—she could feel them, like the warmth of the sun on her back. It wasn't exactly telepathy, but it was close.
Amu was an empath, a person with the ability to read and sometimes even manipulate the emotions of other people. Truth be told, that was the least of what she was. She'd never told her parents—hadn't quite realised it herself, until Utau had brought it up—but she was what people in some of her manga called a psionic, a telekinetic, a precog... it might be harder to name the things she wasn't, rather than what she was. She'd thought her charas made her special, but when they'd fallen asleep, it was like she was all of them, all of the time.
Amu didn't know what to make of the situation. All she could do was smile, and pretend that she was normal. That was the reason she was here, after all, and a little part of why she was going for a nice summer walk, instead of lazing on the couch.
She wasn't the only one. Utau, her best friend, was an empath like her. Tadase, her first crush, was a... whatever you called someone who could defend against anything, but never attack. Kukai, her buddy, was blatantly telekinetic. Ami was a mystery, and had excitedly shown her a sea shell she'd pulled out of a dream, just a few weeks ago. That same 'sea shell' was now encased in Ami's treasure box, safely hidden under her bed.
It wasn't the only one. Her bag, resting by her hip, had another. A box in her wardrobe had a gemstone with an eye painted on it, a gift from Hikaru, who'd claimed it was a ward against evil. The locket hanging around her neck contained a tiny fragment of a dream, a key that gave her... something. Well, maybe not a key—Utau had the key, Amu had the keyhole.
Amu was special, but not that special. She wasn't a superhero. She didn't fly around and save people. Usually.
Amu was normal, and had a normal life, and did normal things.
She was trying to insist on that.
It wasn't going very well.
===
"That was great," her father said, stretching his arms. "Just what I needed."
They had reached their destination. A wide clearing,where the ground was covered with lush grass. A few trees offered some shade, and a small stream burbled in the distance. Ami, having recovered from her stupor, was running around, giggling happily.
Her father pulled out a small picnic blanket, and laid it on the grass. The Hinamori family was ready for their picnic.
"This is nice," Amu said, pulling a can of orange juice out of her bag. She opened the tab and took a sip.
"Yeah," her father said. He had a grin on his face, following Ami's every move. Her mother, lying down next to him, was also smiling.
"We should do this more often," her mother said.
Amu smiled. She didn't say a thing.
She didn't need to.
It was a nice picnic. They had a simple lunch, with sandwiches, rice balls, and drinks. They didn't talk about anything much, just about their days and about what they'd been doing. Amu told a wide-eyed Ami about middle school. Ami, in turn, talked about her dolls, and about how the garden had grown, and the funny things that her classmates did—all of whom, apparently, loved her.
Eventually, it was time to go home. It wasn't an unpleasant walk back, and she got to pick a souvenir. A small doll made of twigs, shaped like a cat. She held it in her hands, smiling, and thinking about Ikuto.
When they finally got home, the sky was dark.
It was time for dinner.
Amu didn't notice the figure watching her, the shadows shifting just a fraction out of place.
***
The doorbell rang.
Amu got up from the sofa and quickly smoothed out her clothes, a black tank top and shorts, then took a quick look at the mirror. Perfect.
She smiled.
"Coming!" she called, and skipped down the hall, opening the door.
Amu's eyes met Utau's, who stood in the doorway wearing her signature confident smile. Her platinum blonde hair framed her face perfectly, and her eyes sparkled with excitement. Dressed in a casual yet chic ensemble, Utau looked like she had just stepped out of a fashion magazine—albeit a slightly edgier one.
"Hey," Utau greeted, her voice melodic even in a simple greeting.
"Hey yourself," Amu grinned, stepping aside to let her best friend in, then giving her a quick hug. "You made it!"
"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Utau said, stepping inside and kicking off her shoes.
As she walked into the living room, Amu's parents greeted her warmly. Ami, having caught a second wind of energy, bounded up to Utau and gave her a big hug, nearly knocking her off balance.
"Utau-chan!" Ami squealed, clearly delighted.
"Hey, little one," Utau laughed, picking Ami up and twirling her around before setting her back on the ground. "You've grown!"
Utau had an air of sophistication, but around Amu's family she let her guard down, revealing the sincere and down-to-earth person she truly was. And like Amu, she was so much more than what she appeared to be—a singer and an empath, yes. Amu's best friend? Also yes. Many other things as well.
'Have you heard anything from Ikuto?' Utau asked Amu telepathically. She shook her head—as did Ami, who looked on guilelessly as they both narrowed their eyes at her.
'Nothing,' Amu replied, walking over to the kitchen to prepare a pitcher of lemonade. She frowned, wondering when she'd be able to see her whatever-it-was once again. '
He's still busy with whatever he thinks he's doing.'
'He'll be fine,' Utau reassured her, as she sat down on the couch and started chatting with Ami.
"He can take care of himself."
"He'd better," Amu muttered, pouring the drink into the glasses.
"Because otherwise I'll have to kick his ass."
Ami's eyes ping-ponged between the two of them, clearly curious, but not saying anything.
'Well, at least he's not running around getting himself kidnapped anymore,' Utau remarked.
'Your brother has his moments.' Amu sighed.
'What about your precognition?' Utau asked, tilting her head to the side.
'Nothing? No sign of him?'
'You know as well as I do that that doesn't work.' Amu sighed again, '
And he's a ghost.'
It was true. When she'd first met Ikuto she'd been a little bit psychic, but nothing compared to now. When she'd first met him, she hadn't even known what to call this. She'd thought of herself a bit like a magical girl, at the same time as she'd insisted she wasn't. Well, she'd been right about that, but she still wasn't sure what she was. Not much of a precognitive, that was for sure. She could guess tomorrow's weather, but what was the chance she wasn't pulling that from some random kid who'd watched the weather report?
'...you're the one he said he'd come back for,' Utau reminded her, grinning. There was a hint of jealousy, well hidden. '
That makes him, what, your boyfriend or something?'
'Or something,' Amu thought, and Utau relaxed. '
I still can't see past next spring.'
Ikuto wasn't a boyfriend. He wasn't a rival, or a best friend, or a brother, or any of the things you usually put into the relationship boxes. Ikuto was...
Well, Amu had a box, and the label said 'magical catboy', which wasn't a useful category for the relationship form.
He'd left on a journey, he'd said, because there was something he had to find. Something more important than his sister or Amu, apparently. She didn't know if she wanted to hug him or punch him, but the idea that he was in danger was a bit too much to bear.
At least Utau had gotten better.
'I can hear that, you know,' Utau said, then ruffled her hair. "Stop being maudlin, and let's get to the eatin'. I'm starved."
"You're always starved," said Amu out loud.
Utau smiled.
As they sat down to eat, the room filled with the comforting sounds of clinking dishes and laughter, making it easy to forget, if only for a moment, the immense responsibilities that weighed on Amu and Utau's young shoulders.
And in that moment, as Amu looked around at her family and her best friend, the girl who knew all her secrets and shared her extraordinary life, she felt a wave of gratitude. Gratitude for this simple yet extraordinary evening, for the food on the table, and most of all, for the people surrounding her.
It was in times like this that Amu was reminded—though the future might be uncertain, filled with psychic complexities and a reality threatening to unravel, these moments of simple, human connection made everything worthwhile.
Amu took a deep breath, letting the warm atmosphere settle around her like a comforting embrace. She picked up her fork, looked Utau in the eyes, and smiled.
For tonight, at least, everything was perfect.
———
The start of a new adventure is fraught with choices. The choice of protagonist is not one of them. You'll be playing as Hinamori Amu, a twelve year old, moderately normal middle-schooler going to an about equally normal middle school in a quiet corner of Tokyo.
You have one year. After that time the main plot will hit, and whatever preparations you may have made will be put to the test. Preparations for what, you may ask? Currently, you aren't expected to know—Amu has no idea either—though some of my readers may already have an idea, and I don't mind if you say.
In the meantime you'll see an escalating series of… events. It's going to be mostly up to you which ones you get involved in, though Amu will have her own opinion, and gets the casting vote in case of a tie. Write-ins are generally accepted, but will be vetoed if it's something Amu definitely wouldn't try. I'd categorise your plot options in groups of social, growth, and exploration—with significant overlap—and if you want a tip, I'd suggest balance. But that's really up to you.
In post #2 you can find a loose character sheet, which might be some guidance while you're picking through this. I'm also always open to answering questions.
For now you have two elements to vote on: A boon, and a bane. Amu's current motivation is to have a normal life, for once, so it will be up to other people to bring her out of that.
Your 'bane' will be her wake-up call. Many of these plots go off regardless, but only one will be aimed at Amu.
Your 'boon' is simply that: A thing she's better at than end-of-manga Amu was, whether that's because of practice, or talent, or simple coincidence. You'll note she's already better at telepathy than the manga suggested; this is due to having had months of quiet to sit down and talk with Utau.
Write-ins are accepted for both. I would not necessarily recommend you tailor your boon to help with your bane, but if you're unsure, go right ahead.
Also remember the golden rule: Choose whatever sounds like an interesting story, not what maximises Amu's power.
[ ][Bane] A mysterious stalker
- Someone, or something, has taken an unhealthy interest in Amu. It shadows her movements, possibly setting up traps, possibly testing her. Even though Amu may wish her life would be normal, the reality is anything but.
- This is the most directly dangerous of the options, and partially dice-controlled. You won't receive an enemy that Amu can't deal with, but neither will it be something trivially easy.
[ ][Bane] A prophecy
- Amu becomes aware of a seriously disturbing prophecy.
- Yes, technically you can get in-character knowledge of the upcoming Doom straight away, but this isn't a good way to find a solution. Choose this if you want her to flail, likely ineffectively.
[ ][Bane] A group of delinquents
- Some might say Amu would fit straight in, but her fashion sense is neither here nor there.
- We're literally talking about a group of middle-schoolers. We are not talking about regular delinquents. Think ITEM, not school-weary teens.
- The exact mechanism by which Amu comes into contact will depend on your dice, but she won't be able to ignore them.
[Bane] A Family Secret Uncovered
- While digging through old family photos and journals, Amu stumbles upon a troubling family secret that dates back generations. Could this hidden past be tied to her current abilities?
- There is a corresponding boon. This is the less happy version. You could pick both, but shouldn't.
[Bane] Reality Glitches
- Strange occurrences start happening around Amu. Objects spontaneously move, time briefly loops, or people around her act out of character for moments at a time. It seems as if reality itself is tearing at the seams around her.
- This one would be harsh. You'll get your fill of it later.
[Bane] Forced Publicity
- Amu's abilities get unwanted attention from the media, putting her and her friends in the limelight and making it difficult for her to live a 'normal' life as she wishes.
- On the bright side, you can stop hiding from your parents.
- Why are you even doing that, you nutty teen?
=======
[ ][Boon] A sister released
- Ran, Miki, Dia and Su were temporary. Training wheels, to be discarded as she matured. Amu, who saw them as friends, never accepted this. In the normal course of events they're largely gone, capable of resurfacing only for short periods of time at the cost of tiring Amu; a problem she may only resolve over years.
If you pick this boon, you pick one of the four to be independent enough that she's permanently active. In case your choice is Dia, note that her esoteric abilities are still generally unavailable.
- Amu likes this idea the best.
- So does Ami, who will try to monopolise the 'shugoi chara'.
[ ][Boon] A key piece of insight
- Amu spent years acting as a not-so-magical girl. Reviving the dreams and hopes of children, fighting mad scientists, eventually defeating the big bad. Well, the big bad was a six year old boy who is now one of Ami's friends, but… the point is, she grew more powerful while she did it. Some of that was age. Some of it was skill. Some wasn't.
- This gives you an 'easy' way to grow stronger, should you need it, but the insight into how you work is honestly a great deal more important.
[ ][Boon] A lock piece of insight
- The Humpty Lock is a psionic artifact created by Ikuto and Utau's father, and… that's about all she knows about it. It's a massive boon already, enhancing Amu's psionics by one dot in every skill when it's active. What more can it do?
- This boon means she's spent time exploring it, possibly with Utau's help. It doesn't mean she has any answers, but she's one step closer to understanding.
[ ][Boon] A connection to the past
- Amu and Ami are both talented psionics. Is it simply coincidence they're siblings?
- No; no, it is not. Psionics is genetic, but while it grows stronger with passing generations, if you pick this boon then Amu and Ami's generation of the Hinamoris isn't the first to have noticed something a little off.
- You shouldn't expect something mechanically powerful. That's not what this is about.
[ ][Boon] A sister unleashed
- While Amu is capable in the waking world, Ami is a true dreamwalker. With dreams being congruent to the collective unconscious, that talent has a great deal of use, and Ami is less than a month from being seven. She's old enough to have her own hopes, her own dreams, and her own…
- She's still seven, and a little flighty. If you choose this boon, then Amu has spent time with Ami to imprint some basic safety skills. In the process she's both learned more about dreams, and allowed Ami to learn… a great deal more about dreams.
[Boon] Symbiotic Bond
- Amu and Utau, building on past experience, have created a psychic bond that lets them share their abilities temporarily when in close proximity. Their telepathic range is also vastly increased.
- This is more or less a straight-up mechanical boost, except Utau is rarely available.
[Boon] Retrocognitive Flashes
- Amu sometimes gets glimpses of past events that can provide clues or insights into current challenges.
- This can happen regardless. Choosing this boon doubles your dice pool.
