Toku-high: Game On

Names. Useful.

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Source date: 2025-05-28SST date: Toku-high: Game On, May 282 min readComplete text

Original writing prompt

You have the unique magical power to... switch the names of things. Hoo boy, this is actually much more useful than it seems
Original response reference

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THE MOMENT

"I'm afraid you're not eligible to join the Heroe's League, your power isn't particularly suited for combat," Orion politely smiled at Neil sitting.

"Well...," Neil shook his head slightly. "I'm not sure I agree. According to your people, I have the magical power to switch the names of things! Hoo boy, it's actually much more useful than it seems...," he said.

"Not really," Orion also shook his head with a flat smile.

"Sure it is! I can prove it!" He jumped up quickly and dug a wad of crumpled dollars out of his pocket. He took a $1 and flattened it out. "I decree this here is $100!" he said.

"Okay," Orion nodded. "And?"

"Too low. This here's a billion dollars!" he said. "I can make it worth as much as I want and buy your company. I don't even have to do that! I'm changing the name of Chroma Corp. to Neil's Company."

"And, you've reached your limits," Orion smiled. "That's not how 'names' work."

"What do you mean?"

"Take your billion dollar bill," Orion said as he pushed it back toward Neil. "Let me ask you a question. If you took this to a car dealership maybe, any big purchase like that. Are you expecting to be able to give them a billion dollars and walk out with a purchase?"

"Of course! It's a billion dollars!"

"It might be referred to as 'a billion dollars' but that's not necessarily its worth. What about this one?" Orion pushed another crumbled bill forward.

"That's a billion dollars too!"

"They all are. You've changed the name to a billion dollar bill, without changing anything else. You'll still need at least 10 of them if you want a good meal, and many many more if you were to try and purchase a car."

"So.. Neil's Company...is not mine...?"

"That's a different wrinkle," Orion chuckled. "Names are also regional. Cougars, mountain lions, and pumas are all the same animal. In your case, your power affects everything on your Earth. However, since Chroma Corp. is a multiversal corporation, everyone else across the universe still recognizes us."

"So... my power's really weak and useless?"

"I don't know," Orion smiled. "Depends on how you frame it. From my perspective, your name is too powerful to be useful. It so perfectly changes names without touching the concept that the end result is effectively 'no change'.  I've heard it said, and I think it'll help you wrap your mind around your powers better; ' a rose by any other name would smell as sweet'."

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