MISSION: GRAB THE EYEBALLTAUR

[initiates]

Date & Time: March 7th, 1994
Location: The MICA campus: Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Characters: Everyone
Summary: All transports are shipped back to 1994 to steal art from art students. Also, some of them arrive bodyswapped.

The Initiative has timed the incoming waves of Transports to the MICA campus for Freshmen Orientation, but even so, the flood of newcomers gets a few surprised glances. Looks like MICA's up for a major boom in attendance next year, wow. But do some of those freshman look a little old to you? …And do some of them seem to be freaking out a lot more than usual about being in Baltimore?

The cloaking devices, with holograms visible only to the natives, will be blending everyone in with the native 90s fashion senses, and all non-humans will find themselves getting much more tame curious glances than they might back on Exsilium, as they project a human appearance to natives around them. So at least there's that. Just try not to get arrested, hit by cars, or challenged to any break dance competitions as you grab and run off with bizarre works of art, alright? The weirder it looks, the more likely it probably is to be the power source the Initiative needs for the Transporter.

Oh, yeah, and sorry about the body-swap-around. Just deal with that as best you can, because the mission really must go on. Any harried and worried Initiative employee along on the mission that you might be able to find will just sputter a hasty not-really-explanative explanation and hurry away, trading frantic messages with the headquarters in Exsilium. They'll get this all sorted out by the time you get back, don't worry.

Comments

[implying]

Oh?

[ That sounds like juicy gossip, and he's happy to abandon his study of the painting to tip the nose of the mask toward her, interested. ]

How so?

[controlledvariable]

[She sighs a little, pausing while she tries to think how to explain the situation without feeling like she's betraying Ellie's confidence.]

There was a-- [vague handwave] Falling out and I had to deal with the aftermath, which meant taking care of a newbie who was kind of freaked out about the whole multiversal travel thing.

[It's harder when people aren't from worlds where that shit happens regularly.]

[implying]

Lovely, isn't that?

[ There's sympathy in his voice, translated to the downturn of his mouth below the mask. It's sort of a sad and detail-less story, but he won't actually press if she doesn't seem willing to share. ]

I was in a world once where all newcomers ended up hospitalized. That was charming, believe you me!

[controlledvariable]

She's a sweet girl, but the whole thing is just a mess.

[Ellie is going to get yelled at when she slinks back into Steph's presence.]

Christ. [Exsilium suddenly doesn't seem so terrible] Why the hell would they do that?

[At least the Initiative makes sense.]

[implying]

Oh, well. [ He shrugs. ] I suppose...

[ A pause, where he realizes how totally crazy this sounds. Well, too late to back up now. ]

...That having your soul ripped out and made into an animal will do that. It wasn't all so bad, when the nausea had passed.

oh no anything but my soup

[controlledvariable]

[That.... does sound kind of crazy, but it isn't the craziest thing she's heard.

Probably somewhere in the top ten, though.]

Okay, I'm never gonna complain about Exsilium again. At least they leave my soul where it's supposed to be.

[a beat] What kind of animal? [She can be slightly freaked out and curious at the same time.]

[implying]

[ He hesitates for a second. This is strange. He hadn't even told Collette about his own dæmon, after realizing she'd been lying about being from Cittágazze. He clears his throat, sounding a little embarrassed. ]

A hummingbird.

[ He lifts a gloved finger in a lazy point, gesturing to the empty air somewhere between them. ]

She's there, although, ah, you can't see her.

[controlledvariable]

Oh. [Her expression softens, as she looks at the empty air, and while she isn't entirely sure she understands the whole thing, she can tell he's a little embarrassed about it.

Gently:] Does she have a name?

[There are other things she's wondering about it, but they seem too much like prying.]

[implying]

[ And if Steph could see the aforementioned hummingbird, she'd see her dart back into her usual hiding spot under Vanadi's mask. Even invisible, he's got himself a timid little bird-soul. ]

Aliva— a kitrite name from home. [ welp yep this is just too weird. He stands up, making a pretense of moving on to examine more art. ] I suppose you'd have yourself something more like a mountain lion.

[controlledvariable]

It's a pretty name. [That seems like a fairly safe response, and she smiles for the mountain lion comment.]

They're not random, then? [A hummingbird seems to fit Vanadi] I'm not sure if that's a compliment or an insult.

pretend that was Aleva, GOSH I CAN'T BE EXPECTED TO REMEMBER MY CHARACTER'S OWN SOUL JEEZ

[implying]

Well, I'm hardly the expert on... animals as souls, but it didn't seem as if they were.

[ He tosses a grin back over his shoulder. ]

It only means you could very likely and very thoroughly trump me, is all.

WE ASK SO MUCH OF YOU

[controlledvariable]

[She considers pointing out that he handled himself pretty well when he was younger, but they are supposed to be 'starting over', as it were, so she leaves it be.]

I thought you might be saying I was vicious.

[She grins right back, figuring he wants to move on from the particulars of his soul]

[implying]

Vicious, no! [ He turns more fully to face her, head cocking and grin back in place. The subject change is welcome and appreciated. ]

Lithe, graceful, beautiful, potentially dangerous... all of those, certainly. But as you haven't mauled me yet, I wouldn't peg you with vicious.

[controlledvariable]

[... It's ridiculous, but there's perhaps one too many nice things in that sentence, and she ducks her head to hide her smile. Unsurprisingly, it's the "potentially dangerous", said like it's a good thing, that really gets to her (she has some warped perspectives).]

I dunno, I think I've made a couple good attempts at a verbal mauling.

[Having snapped at him more than once.]

[implying]

[ Aw yeah, he sees that smile. Points for Vanadi. ]

A correction, then: as I'm still standing, I wouldn't peg you as vicious.

[controlledvariable]

[And because she's not going to let him win this round, her smile gets a little sharp.]

Clearly I'm doing something wrong.

[She's just going to leave that ambiguous as to whether she means the fact he's still standing, or that he wouldn't peg her as vicious.]

[implying]

[ His own grin quirks wider, and he leans in a little. ]

Why, my dear! Should I feel threatened?

[controlledvariable]

[She cants her head to the side as she lifts a shoulder in a lazy sort of shrug.]

Depends on whether you think vicious is a bad thing.

[This is a terrible idea and she should probably tone it down. But the problem with having found a friend in Ellie, is that despite how stressful it can be, she's a lot more grounded. Which means she's more willing to mess around a little.]

[implying]

[ Oh, this is a familiar game. And he might be a little surprised to find it in Steph — but he's certainly not complaining. A gloved finger taps, thoughtful, at his chin. ]

Bad? No. Very interesting? Yes. I've always had a bit of a moth to a flame syndrome, sadly!

[controlledvariable]

Why does that not surprise me at all?

[Not that she didn't used to be the same, but she tries to be a bit more sensible these days.

Which is something she should remember right now. Not that she's planning anything, she's just - having a bit of fun.]

[implying]

Why, it must be my smiling acceptance of all abuse. [ Which reminds him — the grin turns into a quick laugh, and he adds: ] Speaking of! I met a rather prickly friend of yours only the other day.

[controlledvariable]

[Something in her expression flickers at that first part, but she lets it go, distracted by the mention of Ellie.]

Ah. [She doesn't quite wince, but it's a close thing.] You managed to survive the encounter?

[She likes Ellie, but she has no illusions about the girl's temper. It's probably why they're friends.]

[implying]

Only barely. [ It manages to sound fond, though. ]

I rather like her! And I carry the fond fantasy that some day she may even like me, too.

[controlledvariable]

You weren't lying about the moth to the flame thing, were you?

[Which says just as much about Steph, that Ellie is basically the only person she actually trusts.]

I wouldn't hold your breath on her liking you, though, some days I don't think she even likes me. [That's a joke, probably.]

[implying]

My dear, you wound me! Given enough time, I can get through to anyone.

[ He considers that for a second, and amends lightly: ] Nearly anyone.