a/n: Apriltober begins, with a continuation of an April Fools thing. Hope and Phog are swapping their jobs in NLA and are finding it rather too hard.

All the good things belong to Monolith Soft.

Hope stood in the shade of the construction crane, once again nagging herself to stay in character. She had swapped with Phog for this year's job swap prank for April Fool's Day. She had expected it to be easy: wear some trek shorts, stand in one place, look at the ground, not talk to people. Within the first 15 minutes, she found herself chatting gently with a curious visitor, inquiring about the visitor's life and goals. She'd had to shake her head at her weakness, and had resolved to do better. She needed to stay in NLA; while her combat skills were equal to Phog's, she could never replace his phenomenal skills of materials analysis in the field. So she was stuck in this corner, trying to maintain a quietness that had never felt so difficult. Again and again, her eyes caught those of others, pleading with them to approach and start talking to her. It was hopeless, and a little boring, trying to portray her friend, but Hope was determined to keep trying.

Her comm device jingled and she reached for it gratefully. A short text from her counterpart.

gotta swap back can't

She replied immediately. What's wrong?

can't

She looked over at the park, where she could just barely spot Phog. He was sitting on a bench, hunched over his own device. Even if she could read his expression from this distance, his floofy blond hair was hiding his face. She tapped back: Meet me at the Cathedral in 5 minutes.

k

She wasn't sure why she didn't want to meet him in the park. Admitting defeat by swapping back there seemed too shameful. It was fine that they couldn't keep up with the challenge, but swapping back in public broke the fun for everyone somehow. When she reached the church, she didn't see him at once, until he stood up from where he had been crouched in a bed of flowers. He looked dreadful, his face almost as white as his hair. Hope's heart squeezed in sympathy. She'd been struggling, but Phog had been suffering.

"It's okay, Phog. I understand. We tried our best. It doesn't matter that listening is hard."

Phog shook his head in a whirl of shaggy haircut. "It isn't the listening. I listen to the city all day, and to the planet. But having to listen the way people want me to? I miss thinking my own thoughts."

"So we'll switch back. We did the whole morning, didn't we?" To prove her wrong, the church bells chimed 1000.

Phog looked at her curiously. "It was hard for you too, wasn't it?"

Hope looked at the heavens for a moment, then answered honestly. "Yes. I guess looking at ants on the ground isn't enough for me. I like hearing from people."

"I don't mind hearing. That corner actually has excellent acoustics, if you're careful. But the answering ..." He shuddered, then stood up straight. Hope had forgotten how tall he was. "But we can do this." He didn't look any better, in spite of the resolve in his face.

Hope clasped her hands worriedly. "Perhaps you could swap with someone else. Your brother?"

Phog gave her the sweetest smile. "Do you really trust Frye with giving life advice?"

"No, I suppose not." She had to smile at the thought herself.

"Besides, he's swapped with L today. Taking other BLADEs slots in missions is unacceptable."

"Oh, Phog, this is supposed to be fun! It isn't a mission." But the pained look on his face made her wonder if it wasn't just as menacing for him as facing a superior tyrant. She thought a moment longer. "Would it be okay to change the swap a little, though?"

"No." The bells chimed the first quarter hour. "I guess coffee break is over."

"Of course! I have an idea. I know someone that would love to swap, and has a job that might work better. How are you at brewing espresso?"

"Never done it. I like plain milk."

"You'll be perfect."

The rest of the day went much better, if not faster. Jo the inept but grateful barista was eager to fill in for Hope, even if she struggled to listen to anyone to the end of a question. Phog proved to be as much a mechanical genius with an espresso machine as he was with every other technology. Coco, the cafe owner, was surprised to have a competent employee, and equally surprised to miss the vivacity of her klutzy regular.

And Hope? She tried again, using Phog's hints. She listened to the whole city, to the sky above her, to the ground below, to the hum of all the citizens, and yes, even to the ants at her feet. Her own thoughts shyly took first priority, and she listened to those as well. When the bells chimed for dinnertime and the sky darkened, Hope felt as satisfied as after her normal busy days.

a/n: 30 days/30 stories. Did it last year, doing it this year. Super short, because I have maybe 60 minutes a day what with everyone at home. I have prompts but I'm skipping them at will (like today). Last year it was all canon characters, but we won't be so lucky this year, I can tell you right now (hello Rosalee, who's your cute friend?). Drop a suggestion or prompt or favorite tyrant, and see what happens.