OPEN MINGLING LOG

[initiates]

Date & Time: March 7th - March 13th, 3313.
Location: Back in Exsilium again!
Characters: Everyone
Summary: After the adventures in art theft, everyone is returned to Exsilium to find things get shaken up again. Again, bodyswapping. Feel free to use this log as a general open log for everyone, there's no specific setting or time! Run into each other in bars, in shady abandoned buildings, in the Housing, in the middle of the street, anywhere you'd like.

They'll get this all sorted out by the time you get back, don't worry.

Someone's definition of "all sorted out" is clearly a little skewed. Some people arrived back in Exsilium returned to their original bodies, some people have stayed exactly the same, and some people have found themselves in even stranger new bodies than they were in before. All Initiative employees are hard at work on the problem, working with the AI as they run test after test on the Transporter to find a fix. They clearly weren't expecting this result any more than you were!

But in the meantime, enjoy your next five days in your rental body! Live it up in a bar, hit the streets, or never leave your apartment and hope you never ever have to pee, the choice is yours. Although the original owner of your new body might want at least a little say in it.

Comments

[failvenger]

A. Immediately after arriving back

No... NO. [It's unlikely that most people have EVER heard Vanadi sounding this upset. Rin is doing a great job putting his voice through some unfamiliar exercises though. Frantically patting this new body down, more and more perturbed as she goes - everything feels so different. Even more than it did with Eridan.]

This should be finished! [NOOOOO.] Aaaaaaaaah! [If Eridan had her body before - does VANADI have her body now? SHE HAS TO FIND HIM. HER. IT. THEM.]

B. At a bar

[Okay, so they're stuck like this until the Initiative gets all the kinks worked out. It could be worse! Rin guesses. Somehow, it could be worse. Shira could be around, that would be much worse! If he was in her body and she was in his...

She's wearing the mask and has kept her body covered, in consideration of Vanadi's - well, his shame, she has to figure - over the whole thing. She's not cruel.

Though, her plans for the week are shot, whatever they might have been. She'll spend them slinking around the apartments and town instead, watching others. Or, like now, indulging herself a little. The mask stands out, but no one should think much else of the young man who makes his way to the bar.]

I want... beer. [Nonplussed by the bartender's queries of what kind and etc., she finishes weakly:] Something for a beginner.

a!

[layback]

[ Oh, goddammit. He'd been so sure this whole thing had overlooked him, what had he done wrong? Ugh. Ugh.

It's not so bad being in what he'd immediately identified as Rin's body. In fact, it's not only immensely relieving to be able to feel that missing half of his body again, but it's incredibly interesting to find that the balance is different in a woman's body. How odd! But he only appreciates that for about five seconds, because more than anything he needs to find Rin. There won't be much point in hiding his secrets from her, not at this point, but maybe he can beg her not to give them away to everyone else...

It doesn't take him long to discover where Rin had put her tablet, and it takes even less time to address a message to his own tablet, where ever she may have it: ]

Rin! Meet me on the roof of the Housing. Please?

[ ugh typing goes so slow when you can't just hook your tablet directly up to your brain. ]

[failvenger]

[Woah that's HER number. It's but a moment after getting the message that she concludes it's probably from Vanadi. At least that seems logical, given that she's in his body.

Which is kind of a terrifying body to be in, in reality. She's nervously left things below the waist mostly alone, besides realizing that one leg is entirely robotic and having a quick - quick - look, but. She can see the reason for some of his secrecy now.]

Vanadi? Right now?

[layback]

Yes, now!

[ And a second later: ] Stay out of the rain.

[ ...And, oh, wait. Considering that he's having some difficulties with balance, and he's the one not only highly trained in martial arts, but who has spent 21 years in a body with generally the same organic composition as the one he's in now, it would probably be considerate to add: ]

Do you need any help?

[failvenger]

Why don't you just come to my room or something

[layback]

[ Yeah, that's... yeah. ]

Are your roommates there?

[failvenger]

I don't know. We can shut the door if they are.

[layback]

I'll be there in a moment.

[ And hey, true to his word, there's a knock at the door in about three minutes. ]

[failvenger]

[Rin gets it. She's moving slowly, and not masked in the privacy of the apartment, though she'll suit up if she goes out anywhere. With the awkward way she's moving right now she's not sure if that will happen.

It's a weird feeling to look down at herself again. She smiles briefly at - Vanadi - her body - and steps aside to allow entry.]

[layback]

[ It's weird, not to have ears drooping guiltily. He already feels less graceful, more... well, chunky (sorry, Rin), but the ears is the icing on the cake. They're so small, and he feels half deaf. But in he comes, stepping awkwardly, and he tries a tiny smile back. ]

The first rule is not to get anything wet.

[ Since it should be totally obvious by now. Why wouldn't someone check out why their left leg and most of their left arm is suddenly completely dead-feeling? ]

[failvenger]

How do you take a bath, Vanadi? [Trying for humor, but it falls a little flat because the question is at the same time sort of serious. Oh, Vanadi.]

[layback]

Washcloths and sponges. [ Rin's face looks a little embarrassed, eyes sliding away. ] Ah... which is your room?

[failvenger]

This way. [No further comment as Rin heads over into her room, shutting the door behind - no roommates in evidence for now, but just in case they return. The room is comfortable if only slightly personalized and there's an awkward moment where Rin waffles over where to sit before going and sitting on her bed.]

... Sorry.

[layback]

[ He hovers awkwardly for a moment as well (this was not how he envisioned finding his way into Rin's room) before taking a seat a few feet away, also on the bed. He folds both legs carefully under him. ]

For what? I don't expect you had much of anything to do with this.

(a)

[antitactical]

Van...a...di?

( Collette squints, her hands frozen on her own chest. Which was flat. Suspiciously, horrifyingly flat.

And here she was, sitting on the ground just in case. She tried to keep her own flare of fright and disappointment off her face. )

Yeah, I feel the same way, but it looks like this is post Wild West 2.0!

[failvenger]

Noo! No, I'm not Vanadi! [Looking like a lunatic right now in Vanadi's body, but not Vanadi. Rin clutches at both sides of the mask and then drops her hands to her sides, too discombobulated to answer the rest of the statement.] I'm Rin. Who are you?

[antitactical]

Collette.

( Her response is prompt, and her laughter follows a moment after. )

Oh man, and after he was laughing at everyone just a while ago, too! I'm sorry, Rin, it's really not funny, but that's just too hilarious!

[failvenger]

Aaah! But this means now he has MY body! I don't even know where he is! And I - it feels really weird in here! REALLY weird!

[antitactical]

'Cause he's a guy, or because he's -- um.

( Collette glances around, coming a little closer to Rin. )

Got certain metal enhancements?

[failvenger]

What?

[antitactical]

( She gives Rin an odd look. )

Hello, don't you feel those? Or don't feel them, that might be closer to how it is. His leg? Arm? His eye?

[failvenger]

[She stares at Collette... Caesarlette... and automatically lowers her voice.]

I - of course I feel something. What do you know about this?

[antitactical]

( What Vanadi had told her felt private -- and unfortunately, it also felt important. Which meant that Collette took another step closer, looking both calmer and more serious for the moment. )

I know about why they're there, and that it makes him way stronger than most people. He really doesn't like people knowing. It's part of why he hides so much of himself away, since he's changed so much physically from when he was younger. It's one of his secrets, you know?

[failvenger]

Of course, of course... [Distracted. She stands still, now - her balance feels completely off and it's really like half of her body is dead. In a way. What should she even do? She's almost scared to try and move.

Help, the cyborg's fallen and she can't get up.]

Well what am I supposed to do with this now? [Helplessly demanding, without really expecting an answer.]

[antitactical]

( Collette can empathize. She knows what it is to feel half gone, after all, but most of her attention now is in observing Rin. Adaptation isn't always easy, and unlike Vanadi, she's had no time at all! )

Adapt. I'd start by taking one step at a time! Get an idea of your range of motion, how you can move and how you need to compensate. You know, like with any injury.