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[sixthdeadliest]

[There is a scrawny, underfed ten year-old on screen, but anybody who's seen him around (mostly in Little Love) will probably recognize those sunglasses. Even with the shades, you can tell he's glaring by the vague feeling of murderous intent.]

I came from a world that doesn't have magic, so everything I know about it could barely fill a paragraph. I'm assuming this is some sort of spell.

On average, how often do things like this last?

Comments

UN: xX_N64xGreenxDay_Xx

[frenchkissed]

---

( incoming teenager here to wax poetic: )

Isn't it a shame how quickly we give up on the things that once brought joy and whimsy to our lives? Once upon a time, magic was more than something than wishing on stars and blowing out candles on birthday cakes, but now it can be summarized so easily.

Pathetic, isn't it?

[sixthdeadliest]

Like I said before, my world doesn't have magic. At all. Just stories.

And quite frankly I was too busy scrounging for food than to get wrapped up in fantasy at that age.

UN: MarkBryant

[atypical_echo]

Uh, I don't know that I can speak to average, but hopefully not long?

[sixthdeadliest]

That isn't encouraging.

I do not want to go through the next ten years again.

[atypical_echo]

Wait so you remember being an adult?

[sixthdeadliest]

Yes. Why? Is that unusual for such transformations?

[atypical_echo]

Most of the people I've heard about so far didn't remember. Grats on the lottery?

[sixthdeadliest]

I'd rather I won cash.

[Grumpy ex-mercenary is grumpy.]

Like I said before, I do not want to ride out the next ten years again. Puberty was bad enough the first time through.

[atypical_echo]

Well, you might not be wrong with it being magic. Like, I guess there could also be a de-aging ray. Have you been hit by any ray weapons?

[sixthdeadliest]

Not since I got here. I woke up like this yesterday and hoped it'd be gone when I woke up today.

Though if someone managed to break in, shoot me, and then leave with one, I'd be genuinely impressed. I'm a very light sleeper.

[atypical_echo]

[Which makes Mark think this is totally a magic thing. But he can't help with those.]

At least you're giving some proof to the magic theory.

[sixthdeadliest]

That's two good things that came out of that. If I'd lost my memories of being older, I'd be panicking right about now. Particularly since Master isn't here.

[atypical_echo]

Yeah, a lot of kids seem worried. I'm trying to figure out how to help.

[sixthdeadliest]

As far as they know, they're just children who have found themselves in some strange place with their parents or guardians nowhere around. Of course they'd be worried. From their perspective, they're on their own, and the world isn't very kind to a child without a protector.

[Despite how young his voice is, it's metaphorically aged with grim experience.]

I don't know if this would work, but maybe a little infiltration might help? I have my adult mind but I look like a child. Seeing one of their own remaining calm and having some sort of idea on what to do might help calm the others.

...Of course, the issue is that I don't know how to act like the average child to begin with.

[atypical_echo]

Yeah, that's got to be scary. But yeah, maybe you could help them? Because, like, sometimes kids just react to adults with a 'why should I trust you'. You'd definitely be helpful!

[Wait, how do you act like a kid.]

You saying you didn't have a childhood?

[sixthdeadliest]

[Six shakes his head.]

Master took me in when I had nothing, trained and took care of me. A lot of what he did in the process definitely could've gotten him arrested, but compared to my life before he took me in, it was Paradise.

[Which should tell you a lot.]

But the point is if there's a way to make the way I changed useful, I'll take it. I hate just sitting on my hands.

[atypical_echo]

I mean, I guess you can ask the kids if they remember something bad happening?

[sixthdeadliest]

Could work as a way of breaking the ice. Get them talking.

[atypical_echo]

I mean, I guess we need data to solve this or something, right? That's how people do it on TV.

[sixthdeadliest]

Honestly, I don't see any other options. Then again, I don't know much of anything about magic. I should look more into it just in case more of...this...happens.

[atypical_echo]

Maybe there are specialists in Sunset Falls you can learn form.

[sixthdeadliest]

I doubt I have any aptitude for magic, but at least having general knowledge of it would be useful. Thank you.

Let me know if there's anywhere I might be able to help.

[atypical_echo]

I'll keep you in mind if people keep me in mind to ask me about stuff that is needed. Which, you know, they don't always do.

[sixthdeadliest]

Can't learn anything if I don't ask. Not sure what your area of expertise is, but I might reach out from time-to-time with questions for at least a lead on who to ask.

[atypical_echo]

Art, so, you know, not very useful.

[sixthdeadliest]

Actually, it's a lot more useful than you think.

Artists are particularly skilled at identifying patterns. It allows you to think more abstractly than most since creating your art requires thinking outside the box to find a way to make that vision in your head a reality.

[atypical_echo]

Huh. You sound like a friend of mine. But that makes me feel useful. Thanks.

[sixthdeadliest]

You're welcome, but what I told you wasn't to make you feel better. It's true.

[atypical_echo]

[Well damn man, way to build him up. Weird.]

I’m glad that it’s true then?

[sixthdeadliest]

[Look, it's the truth. What's the big deal?]

You're welcome...?

[atypical_echo]

[Listen, it's a big deal to him.]

Thanks!

un: Bouncing Boy

[pinball_wizard]

In my experience? Until whoever's doing it gets distracted by something else.

[sixthdeadliest]

So I'd better plan to be stuck like this for a while. Wonderful.

Any hope they'll lose interest sooner rather than later?

[pinball_wizard]

My best guess is that it's someone who's a kid themselves doing this, so it's fairly likely.

[sixthdeadliest]

Best I can hope for, I suppose.

In the meantime, I suppose I'd better take stock of my options in case I'm in this for the long haul.

Thanks for the intel even if it wasn't what I wanted to hear.

[pinball_wizard]

No problem, man. Sorry I couldn't be more help.

[sixthdeadliest]

Not sure how useful I'd be right now, but let me know if you need backup.

audio | un: Nox

[a_gaggle_of_ghosties]

If it is a spell--which it probably is, but not one I'm familiar with--until someone identifies what kind of magic or sorcery is involved, there's no way of knowing.

This could be something that only needed to be cast and forgotten and will continue indefinitely. Or it could be a the product of a ritual that can be undone once certain conditions are met, or reversed by another. It could also be something that needs to be actively maintained by whoever's responsible, or needs to be maintained by periodic rituals or subsequent castings at set intervals.

I don't think anything so far has ever lasted more than a few days, but without knowing the nature of whatever caused this it's impossible to say.

[sixthdeadliest]

If it's the first option, I'm not looking forward to the next ten years. [Puberty was rough enough the first time around.]

Is there any way to tell what category of spell it might be without knowing the specific spell cast? Like determining a diagnosis based on symptoms?

[a_gaggle_of_ghosties]

Possibly. It's outside of my wheelhouse, but you may have better results contacting Stephen Strange.

His sorcery has much more in common with this world's magic, so he'd be more capable of analyzing it than I am.

[sixthdeadliest]

Assuming he hasn't been changed or his mind didn't regress to his new physical age.

Thanks for the intel.

video; Display Name: Peter Parker

[tinglesense]

I don't know that there's, like, an average. But usually they don't last more than a month or two? I'm sure the people who do magic are working to get people back to normal, though.

I mean...well, hopefully they're not all kids now too, I guess.

[ Peter got lucky enough to stay his regular age, but he's like 19. ]

[sixthdeadliest]

If they are kids, hopefully not all of them mentally regressed to match. Someone else I talked to seemed to see my remembering my adult life as being an outlier.