So, I pitched this to Rob and he thinks it's great, so here it is...
Oh boy, will it ever. But the hell of it is that for those wild, manic swings, there were equally opposite swings. But from my own experience, those can be guided into intensively introspective thought sessions that border on being meditative exercises. It just takes some love and an appropriately "OOH SHINY!" idea tossed his way. With all the girls around him, coming up with something constructive to distract him shouldn't be too much trouble, and the sense of accomplishment from pursuing these ideas until they net results will be helpful to both everyone around Ben, and Ben himself.
Of course, it will also help that he can get 'lovey dovey' with everyone and people not in the know wouldn't bat an eyelash... except that he's a kid in the middle of what is really just a harem.
Another thing is for sure, he will be putting his rejuvenated 10-year-old brain to work, learning the maths and sciences he's always wanted to learn. The hard part will be keeping the knowledge fresh and useful, as the only thing that will do it is by making sure he puts EVERYTHING he learns to practical use on a regular basis.
Last, but not least, since this is a group that's heavy on the combat oriented types, people are gonna be thrown by the fact that it's being led by this kid. And they will be playing right into Ben's hands as he does as Sun Tzu teaches: "To defeat your enemy, you must pretend inferiority, and encourage your enemies arrogance."
robkelk Wrote:Black Aeronaut Wrote:...Thanks to an oddly fun bit of inspiration.
This started off with me working out a bit where the elder Takamachis are watching Fate and Nanoha interacting with Ben (lotsa Awwwww!) and they can pretty much see what's coming. Momoko is of the mind that if it -does- come to it, and it -does- make Nanoha happy, they will bring Benjamin back with them when things get ostensibly fixed... Though she checks with Washu-chan about the idea of de-aging Ben to avoid complications. (Of course, this idea goes down the drain once it comes out that no one is going back.)
And then I realized Ben's got a wish he hasn't used just yet.
It's a bit selfish, but in a ways it's okay, because it removes one of the major hurdles.
He wishes to be made ten years old again so he can 'grow up' alongside the others.
Ben: "...Wow, I feel SO much lighter!" *Turns into a dark blur as he starts zooming around the yard* "WOOOOH-HOOOOO I'MMM BACK BABY!"
Ben: *Starts running in circles around Sailor Saturn - you can practically hear the sound of a big-block V-8 revving.*
Ben: *Suddenly stops and does his best Jim Carrey impression* "SOMEbody STOP ME! ...No, really, someone stop me here."
Sailor Saturn: *Cheerfully* "Okay~!"
Sailor Saturn: *Thonks Ben on the back of his head with the flat of Silence Glaive*
Ben: *rubbing his head* "Thanks."
Sailor Saturn: *Gives him a little peck on the cheek* "You are funny and I love you."
Kyoko: "Oh... My... God... He's... He's..."
Madoka: "A child?~"
Kyoko: "YES!!!" O_o
Mami: "He's adorable!~"
Sayaka: "He's a sparring partner!"
Ruby: "YES!" *High-fives Sayaka.*
Homura: "This is a problem."
Madoka: "This is a solution." *Leans over and whispers something in Homura's ear*
Homura: *Goes bright red and you can hear a kettle whistling*
Nanoha: "Wow. He might actually be faster than you, Fate-chan."
Fate: "...I am somehow just fine with this."
Weiss: "Why?"
Fate: "...He is small and cute now. He will be lean and rakish soon. And later he will be muscled and magnificent."
Weiss: *Slowly turns red.* "oh... Ohhh... CAMERA!!! SOMEONE GET ME A CAMERA!!!"
Ruby: "Why?"
Weiss: "We must track his development! And since we already know what the end result is, we can start drawing Punnett Squares!"
Sayaka: "...Isn't it a bit early for that sort of thing?"
Kyoko: "Let alone a bit obsessive, much?"
Weiss: "It's never too early to start family planning! Especially if we're to avoid the mistakes of our parents! I won't be caught unprepared!"
Kyoko: "... I guess she has a point. And now that he's this young..."
Ben: *To Hotaru* "I should run now, yes?"
Hotaru: *With an evil little grin* "You can try~, but that just means you'll already be tired when it's time for snu-snu."
Ben: "But don't girls love to chase the boy they like?"
Hotaru: *Bats her eyes oh-so-innocently(yearight)* "Whatever made you think otherwise?"
Ben: "Gotcha." *KA-PWING!*
Downside: he can't drive his cars, though not like it will matter much in Season 2. Upshot: he won't have to wait long - I was a lanky critter by the time I was twelve, with legs that were just all out of proportion to the rest of me.
So, whatcha think? Too crazy? Too daring?
Sure, why not? (And I wasted my wish on "truesight" glasses... for everybody in the apartment, though.)
Peorth's going to make sure Ben really wants to do this, and will help with the wording so that there aren't any hidden traps. Divine wishes are good that way. And, since it's Peorth (who has a stronger libido than Belldandy), she's going to make sure Ben's physically okay no matter what.
It'll change the group dynamics quite a bit.
Oh boy, will it ever. But the hell of it is that for those wild, manic swings, there were equally opposite swings. But from my own experience, those can be guided into intensively introspective thought sessions that border on being meditative exercises. It just takes some love and an appropriately "OOH SHINY!" idea tossed his way. With all the girls around him, coming up with something constructive to distract him shouldn't be too much trouble, and the sense of accomplishment from pursuing these ideas until they net results will be helpful to both everyone around Ben, and Ben himself.
Of course, it will also help that he can get 'lovey dovey' with everyone and people not in the know wouldn't bat an eyelash... except that he's a kid in the middle of what is really just a harem.
Another thing is for sure, he will be putting his rejuvenated 10-year-old brain to work, learning the maths and sciences he's always wanted to learn. The hard part will be keeping the knowledge fresh and useful, as the only thing that will do it is by making sure he puts EVERYTHING he learns to practical use on a regular basis.
Last, but not least, since this is a group that's heavy on the combat oriented types, people are gonna be thrown by the fact that it's being led by this kid. And they will be playing right into Ben's hands as he does as Sun Tzu teaches: "To defeat your enemy, you must pretend inferiority, and encourage your enemies arrogance."