CarolJ
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Cuckoo's Day
🕑 Added 2020-04-01 06:57:11 +0000 UTCHappy April Fool's Day!
Just a quick warning, this story touches on themes of infidelity, specifically a boyfriend being unfaithful to his girlfriend, so if you're sensitive or averse to stuff like that, feel free to skip this one. That being said, this is more of a lighthearted take on the scenario, so maybe that's something you're willing to glance at?
Brady and Stephanie are a young couple going to a Cuckoo's Day party, a holiday specifically celebrating flirting with everyone BUT your current partner. Boys post up around the bar with little feathers tucked somewhere, and girls try to flirt their way into getting that feather as a badge of conquest. Given that Stephanie's a shape-shifting doppelganger, though, this means Brady spends most of the night fending off her disguised attempts at flirtation. But...not all of the night this year.
This is a story I've had the idea for for a while now. I want to say it's been around three or four years now? The problem is I could never get it down by April First specifically for that time, and every time the date passed, I kinda went "eh, I'll get it next year." This year, as it turns out, was next year! Who would've imagined?
The idea is a fun one, and writing the various attempts was so enjoyable that I felt like I was almost having fun at the story's expense. It was a really indulgent sort of idea, but I think that the overall result is a fun story that could've gone a lot darker if I liked to see my characters suffer.
As always, thank you for your support! It means the world to me, now more than ever. Also, if you saw a truncated version of this post, it's totally because I pulled an Epic Prank on you and definitely not because my big, fat thumb slipped on my phone. Trust me.
Comments
Pangolin
True, that's plenty enough exposition for a short story! Underlining it more than that would probably have made the ending too obvious. As for the ”misnaming”, I’m sure a convincing case could be made for either way. While the folklore doppelgangers are direct doubles of a specific person, one could also say (as you kinda did in the story) that the fact they can become actual doubles of others makes them stronger than shapeshifters who can only look like others. But yeah, the double/mirror connection would definitely have made sense, too. But even if it is a misnomer, using different mythologies as a haphazard grab-bag of names for similar monsters with different power levels fits well in the traditional JRPG aesthetic that underlies many of your stories! :D
Carol J.
I tried to allude to it earlier in the story when Stephanie brought up the differences between Shapeshifters and Doppelgangers (which I realized I completely misnamed around five minutes after finishing the story, makes so much more sense for the doppelgangers to be the mirror-bound/direct "copy" ones) but yeah, the species Stephanie is has much more power compared to the other one. They're capable of replicating some weaker powers of the monsters they copy, hence the pink mist.
Pangolin
...and of course the doppelganger sorority is named "AKA". I gotta say, these modern world stories definitely have the best banter. One question: do doppelgangers also replicate the powers of whoever they copy? Or did I miss some line that explained the pink charm mist in some other way? Or was the effect just in Brady's mind?
Carol J.
The thing she doesn't let on is that she's a very convincing actress when a Cuckoo's Day win is on the line. Sometimes part of the role is being a bad actress beforehand.
Carol J.
So glad you thought so! It was a lot of fun thinking of all the ways Stephanie could flub her approaches.
Lorelei
The moment that the ogress accidentally uses his name is a *fantastic* double-take joke. This was a pretty good switcheroo!
Michael Skellig
Great story based around an interesting idea. Stephanie certainly had me suckered into believing she was a real succubus.
Carol J.
Really glad to hear it!
Toobs
I really enjoyed the story. Thanks!
Yshomatsu
Well that’s good because if you had done another paid place holder I’d be out the door faster than you could say April fools! Lol hope you’re holding up ok during these crazy times. Your writing is really good, I wouldn’t bail like that =P
Carol J.
No, I was just preoccupied thinking of the hilarious APRIL FOOL'S prank that i concocted and PERFECTLY EXECUTED on you
Carol J.
Fixed! I mean uh you just got PRANKED haha YEAH funny PRANK
Yshomatsu
Did you fall asleep in the middle of writing the post?
Bob Dobbs
I think you forgot to post the story.
